V  *  .«, 


WIJJAM 

WJiyJL/lAl  1 11 


THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE   SPIRIT    OF 
THE  SOUTH 

Orations,  Essays  and  Lectures 


By 
COLONEL    WILLIAM    H.     STEWART 


NEW  YORI  AND  WASHINGTON 

THE   NEALE  PUBLISHING   COMPANY 

1908 


COPYRIGHT,  1908,  BY 
THE  NEALE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


To 

My  Comrades-in-Arms  of  the  Firing  Line 


F 

zo  (, 


CONTENTS 

FADE 

AMERICAN  REVOLUTION  IN  THE  SOUTH  .  .  9 
WASHINGTON,  THE  PATRIOT,  UNDER  Two  FLAGS  .  36 
THE  WARPATH  IN  VIRGINIA,  1775-81  ...  47 

THOMAS  JEFFERSON 63 

UNVEILING  OF  THE  MONUMENT  AT  FORT  NELSON     85 
e»  THE  EVOLUTION  OF  THE  SOUTH        .        .        .        .88 

S^"* 

t£  EULOGY   ON    GENERAL   LEE 98 

^  A  SOUTHERN  GIRL  AND  MAJOR  VON  BORCKE        .    108 

•<:  HUMOR    OF    CAMP    AND    MARCH       .        .        .        .107 

~3   THE  BATTLES  OF  SPOTTSYLVANIA        .        .        .        .110 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CRATER 130 

CXI 

"  THE  LIFE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  MATTHEW  FONTAINE 

MAURY  142 

5» 

°   THE  PORTRAIT  OF  COMMODORE  MAURY,  FOR  R.  E. 

LEE  CAMP,  No.   1 164 

THE  WOMEN  OF  THE  SOUTH 175 

o   HUNDREDTH  BIRTHDAY  OF  ROBERT  E.  LEE        .        .181 
~    THE  ARMY  OF   NORTHERN  VIRGINIA       .        .        .188 

£j    MAHONE'S  BRIGADE 195 

-'J    THE    BATTLE    OF    THE    CRATER        .        .        .        .201 

FITZHUGH  LEE 208 

"*    STONEWALL    JACKSON 210 

JEFFERSON    DAVIS 224 

APPOMATTOX  226 


The  Spirit  of  the   South 

AMERICAN  REVOLUTION  IN   THE   SOUTH 

IT  is  a  commonplace  tale  I  have  to  tell,  an  old,  old 
story  often  related  before,  but  it  is  good  to  sing 
over  the  old  songs.  They  are  sweetest,  after  all.  It 
is  right  to  keep  alive  the  history  that  tells  of  our 
national  birth.  It  is  justice  to  rehearse  the  part  our 
ancestors  acted  in  their  wars,  and  wise  to  learn  from 
simple  lessons  the  ways  of  honor,  patriotism,  and 
virtue. 

The  history  of  war  is  too  often  made  by  the  pen, 
not  by  the  sword,  and  American  historians  seem  to 
locate  almost  all  of  the  glorious  achievements  of  the 
revolution  between  Yorktown  and  Lexington.  But 
now  let  us  stand  upon  the  banks  of  the  York  and 
look  for  the  Southern  Cross,  whose  bright  stars  will 
tell  how  the  South  suffered  and  struggled  for  the 
independence  of  the  united  colonies. 

The  annals  of  war  do  not  relate  a  detail  of  more 
savage  brutality  on  the  part  of  its  enemies  and  of 
more  gallantry,  skill,  and  fortitude  on  the  part  of 
the  Southern  soldiers,  and  of  more  self-sacrificing 
devotion  on  the  part  of  the  noble  women  of  the 
South,  than  does  the  history  of  our  Southland's  share 
in  the  great  struggle  for  American  freedom. 

The  savage  cruelty  of  Dunmore  and  Tarleton 
united  the  people  for  resistance  and  aroused  the  sym- 
pathy of  liberty-loving  Englishmen  across  the  ocean 
to  open  declarations  against  the  coercive  policy  of 


10        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

King  George's  government.  The  Earl  of  Effingham, 
Thomas  Howard,  was  conspicuous  in  his  sympathy 
for  the  American  colonies,  and  interposed  able  and 
eloquent  arguments  in  Parliament  for  the  rights  of 
the  colonies.  When  a  boy  he  had  strong  military 
inclinations  and  his  youthful  bent  carried  him  into 
the  British  army  as  an  ensign  in  the  celebrated  Cold- 
stream  Guards. 

He  was  not  prompted  to  the  profession  of  arms  by 
a  desire  for  the  tawdry  trappings  of  an  officer's 
uniform,  but  wished  to  test  the  metal  of  his  manhood 
on  the  firing  line,  and  volunteered  for  service  in  a 
war  between  the  Russians  and  Turks.  When  the 
American  Revolution  began  he  was  fully  equipped  for 
a  military  career,  but  he  could  not  consent  to  enforce 
with  his  sword  measures  which  he  had  opposed  as  a 
legislator,  and,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  resign  from  the 
army,  when  his  regiment  was  ordered  to  America  he 
wrote  a  letter  of  resignation  to  the  Secretary  of 
War.  In  this  letter  he  set  forth  the  willingness  with 
which  he  could  sacrifice  his  life  and  fortune  in  sup- 
port of  the  safety,  honor,  and  dignity  of  his  majesty's 
crown  and  person,  but  declared  that  the  same  prin- 
ciples which  had  inspired  him  with  these  unalterable 
sentiments  of  duty  and  affection  to  the  king  would 
not  suffer  him  to  be  instrumental  in  depriving  any 
part  of  his  people  of  those  liberties  which  form  the 
best  security  for  their  fidelity  and  obedience  to  his 
government.  He  further  expressed  the  deepest  regret 
at  being  obliged  to  quit  a  profession  which  had  been 
that  of  his  ancestors  for  many  ages,  and  to  the  study 
and  practice  of  which  his  life,  from  childhood,  had 
been  applied.  He  waived  the  advantage  to  which  the 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  11 

custom  of  the  service  entitled  him,  the  right  of  sell- 
ing the  rank  that  he  had  bought,  and  requested  that 
he  be  allowed  to  retain  his  rating  in  the  army,  in 
order  that,  whenever  the  envy  or  ambition  of  foreign 
powers  should  require  it,  he  might  be  enabled  to  serve 
his  majesty  and  his  country  in  that  way  in  which,  of 
all  others,  he  thought  himself  best  fitted  by  natural 
inclination  and  by  training. 

In  this  line  of  action  the  Earl  of  Effingham  dis- 
played more  courage  than  it  takes  to  stand  up  on  the 
line  of  battle,  where  bullets  whistle  and  thundering 
shells  explode.  At  a  great  meeting  in  London  held 
in  the  Common  Hall  one  midsummer's  day,  resolutions 
of  public  thanks  were  ordered  to  be  given  to  the 
Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Effingham,  for  having 
consistently,  with  the  principles  of  a  true  English- 
man, refused  to  draw  a  sword  which  had  been  em- 
ployed to  the  honor  of  his  country,  against  the  lives 
and  liberties  of  his  fellow-subjects  in  America.  Soon 
after  similar  resolutions  of  thanks  in  fuller  terms 
were  presented  to  him  from  the  Guild  of  Merchants 
in  Dublin. 

Thomas  Howard  was  a  grand  Englishman,  a  lover 
of  truth  and  virtue,  a  friend  of  liberty  and  justice, 
and  Americans  should  honor  his  name  until  that  day 
when  time  shall  be  no  more. 

What  a  striking  contrast  to  the  character  of  Lord 
Howard  is  that  of  Lord  Dunmore,  who  was  com- 
pelled by  an  incensed  populace  to  flee  from  Williams- 
burg  and  seek  safety  on  board  of  a  man-of-war,  for 
Dunmore  had  prosecuted  an  infamous  and  piratical 
war  on  the  people  for  whose  liberties  the  eloquence 
of  Effingham  pled  in  the  Hall  of  Parliament.  He 


12        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

attacked  Hampton,  Va.,  October  26,  1775,  intending 
to  establish  his  camp  there,  but  was  driven  back 
upon  the  water  by  Woodford's  Riflemen.  On  the 
7th  day  of  November,  1775,  he  issued  a  proclama- 
tion establishing  martial  law,  requiring  every  person 
capable  of  bearing  arms  to  join  the  standard  of  King 
George,  or  be  considered  a  traitor,  declaring  all 
indented  servants  that  were  able  and  willing  to  bear 
arms,  whether  negroes  or  others  (appertaining  to 
rebels)  free,  upon  joining  His  Majesty's  troops. 
The  Provincials  were  greatly  incensed  upon  seeing 
this  proclamation,  since  it  encouraged  slaves  to  free 
themselves  from  their  masters  by  taking  up  arms 
against  them.  This  was  a  measure  more  drastic  than 
any  government  on  the  Continent  of  Europe  had 
hitherto  ventured  to  grant.  Dunmore's  efforts  to 
incite  the  slaves  to  the  midnight  murder  of  innocents 
and  also  to  set  Indian  warriors  on  the  warpath  for 
indiscriminate  scalping  resulted  in  making  his  name 
a  synonym  for  horror  and  loathing  everywhere. 
An  English  authority  says :  "  His  proclamation  was 
received  with  the  greatest  horror  in  all  of  the 
colonies,  and  was  severely  condemned  elsewhere,  as 
tending  to  loosen  the  bonds  of  society,  to  destroy 
domestic  security,  and  encourage  the  most  barbarous 
of  mankind  to  the  commission  of  the  most  horrible 
crimes  and  the  most  inhuman  cruelties ;  that  it  was 
confounding  the  innocent  with  the  guilty  and  expos- 
ing those  who  were  the  best  friends  of  the  government 
to  the  same  loss  of  property,  and  danger,  and  de- 
struction with  the  most  incorrigible.  It  established 
a  precedent  of  a  most  dangerous  nature  in  the  New 
World,  by  giving  legal  sanction  to  the  arraying  and 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  13 

embodying  of  African  negroes  to  appear  in  arms 
against  white  men,  and  to  encounter  them  upon  an 
equal  footing  in  the  field." 

This  proclamation  produced  disastrous  results  in 
Eastern  Virginia,  until  the  British  Grenadiers, 
Norfolk  Volunteers,  and  the  motley  mixture  of 
blacks  and  whites  who  had  responded  to  Dunmore's 
call  were  defeated  by  the  patriots  under  General 
Woodford  at  Great  Bridge,  Va.,  where  the  brave 
Captain  Fordyce  fell  leading  his  redcoats  in  the 
charge  over  the  causeway.  Another  plan  of  action 
on  the  part  of  the  ruthless  Dunmore  was  to  induce 
the  Indian  nations  on  the  back  country  of  Virginia 
and  the  Carolinas  to  penetrate  towards  the  coast  and 
form  a  junction  with  him  so  as  to  cut  off  the  South- 
ern -colonies  from  the  Northern  colonies.  This  move- 
ment was  frustrated  by  the  capture  of  his  agents 
who  were  bearing  his  letter  to  the  Indian  chief,  by 
the  vigilant  committee  in  Maryland. 

Lord  William  Campbell  in  South  Carolina  tried  to 
incite  the  back  settlers,  called  "  Regulators,"  to  ally 
themselves  with  the  Indians  for  war  against  the 
patriots,  but  this  aroused  so  much  excitement  and 
indignation  in  Charleston  that  Campbell  deemed  it 
prudent  to  retire  on  board  of  a  man-of-war  for  his 
personal  safety,  and  soon  after  sailed  away  to  disturb 
no  more  the  patriotic  Carolinians.  To  offset  this 
contemplated  coalition,  Judge  Dayton,  with  a  strong 
armed  force  of  leading  citizens,  marched  to  the  back 
settlements  and  made  a  treaty  with  the  Regulators. 

The  patriotic  government  of  South  Carolina  was 
at  this  time  lodged  in  a  council  of  thirteen  persons, 
with  the  occasional  assistance  of  a  committee  of 


14        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

ninety-nine,  which  exerted  every  means  to  fortify 
Charleston  Harbor,  to  procure  arms  and  gunpowder, 
and  to  drill  troops  for  defense.  Governor  Martin  of 
North  Carolina,  in  his  attempts  to  stifle  the  liberty- 
loving  spirit  of  the  colonists,  was  more  active  and 
vigorous  in  his  proceedings  than  Lord  Campbell,  but 
not  more  successful.  The  Assembly  committee  of 
correspondence  and  General  Ashe,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  even  more  vigorous  and  ardent  in  the 
defense  of  the  colony,  and  the  Assembly  therefore 
declared  Martin  an  enemy  to  America  in  general 
and  to  North  Carolina  in  particular  upon  a  num- 
ber of  charges,  particularly  of  fomenting  civil  war 
and  exciting  an  insurrection  among  the  negroes, 
and  it  forbade  all  persons  holding  communication 
with  him.  Martin  replied  in  a  long  proclamation, 
which  the  Carolinians  declared  to  be  a  false,  scan- 
dalous, malicious,  and  seditious  libel,  and  ordered  it 
to  be  burnt  by  the  hands  of  the  common  hangman. 
It  may  have  been  that  the  high-handed  measures 
of  these  three  British  governors  helped  to  increase  the 
anti-war  party  in  England  and  Ireland,  so  as  almost 
to  over-balance  the  coercionists  and  to  force  the 
latter  to  resort  to  appeals  for  the  widows  and  orphans 
of  British  soldiers  killed  at  Boston  to  counteract  the 
effect  of  the  party  of  conciliation,  and  to  arouse  the 
public  feeling  to  sustain  the  war.  The  effect  in 
America  was  to  unite  the  colonies  for  more  vigorous 
efforts  in  behalf  of  complete  independence,  enflaming 
the  Southern  heart  with  an  all-consuming  enthusiasm 
for  the  cause,  and  bringing  to  the  forefront  some  of 
the  most  skillful  and  daring  heroes  of  the  Revolution- 
ary period. 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  15 

On  the  28th  day  of  June,  1776,  Admiral  Parker  of 
the  Royal  Navy,  commanding  a  fleet  of  eleven  large 
vessels  of  war,  sailed  into  Charleston  Harbor  and 
commenced  a  tremendous  attack  upon  Fort  Moultrie, 
located  on  Sullivan's  Island.  The  fort,  constructed 
of  soft  palmetto  wood,  in  which  the  cannonballs 
buried  themselves  without  throwing  off  splinters  to 
injure  the  gunners,  mounted  sixty  guns,  and  as  ship 
after  ship  poured  in  its  terrible  broadsides,  the  whole 
harbor  seemed  one  sheet  of  flame.  The  Americans 
aimed  well,  and  every  shot  had  its  effect,  and  soon 
several  of  the  British  ships  were  stranded.  The 
Thunderer,  after  firing  more  than  sixty  shells,  was 
disabled;  the  Bristol  was  almost  destroyed  and  a 
great  number  of  sailors  was  killed.  The  fire  from 
the  fort  suddenly  ceased,  the  powder  having  been  ex- 
hausted, and  the  British,  sure  of  victory,  moved  their 
ships  nearer  with  drums  beating  and  flags  flying. 
However,  the  Americans  soon  received  a  new  supply 
of  powder  and  the  battle  raged  fiercer  than  ever, 
until  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  the  fleet  re- 
tired under  cover  of  night.  This  defense  of  Fort 
Moultrie  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  actions  of  the 
war.  Every  man  fought  like  a  hero  and  Congress 
passed  a  resolution  of  thanks  to  the  whole  garrison. 
During  the  fiercest  part  of  the  engagement,  when  the 
flag  was  cut  down,  Sergeant  Jasper  leaped  upon  the 
ramparts,  fastened  it  to  a  rammer  and  hoisted  it  in 
the  face  of  the  enemy.  He  was  presented  with  a 
sword  for  his  brave  conduct,  and  Colonel  William 
Moultrie,  the  victorious  commander,  was  promoted 
to  brigadier-general. 

The  next  engagement  of  importance  in  the  South 


16        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

•was  the  signal  defeat  of  General  Robert  Howe  and 
the  capture  of  Savannah,  Ga.  The  Americans  lost 
550  men  killed,  wounded,  and  captured,  with  artillery 
and  baggage ;  while  the  British  lost  only  seven  killed 
and  nineteen  wounded.  General  Howe  was  greatly 
censured,  but  was  afterwards  acquitted  by  a  court 
of  inquiry.  The  British  were  remarkably  kind  and 
lenient  to  the  inhabitants,  but,  by  pressing  their 
military  advantage,  in  the  period  of  one  month  had 
restored  the  whole  State  of  Georgia  to  the  British 
Crown.  The  one  ray  of  light  amid  the  disasters  in 
Georgia  was  the  victory  of  Colonel  Pickens  over  the 
Loyalists  at  Kettle  Creek,  where  Colonel  Boyd,  their 
commander,  was  killed. 

General  Benjamin  Lincoln  was  made  commander- 
in-chief  in  the  South,  but  the  fortunes  of  war  were 
against  him,  too.  He  was  baffled  at  Stono  Ferry, 
repulsed  before  Savannah,  and  on  May  11,  1780,  he 
was  captured  at  Charleston  with  his  whole  army. 
General  Woodford,  the  hero  of  Hampton  and  Great 
Bridge,  with  700  of  the  Virginia  line,  recently 
arrived,  were  included  in  the  surrender.  The  loss  of 
the  metropolis  of  South  Carolina  was  a  sad  blow  to 
the  South,  as  it  was  the  depot  of  its  commerce,  the 
unrivaled  seat  of  Southern  beauty,  taste,  art,  science, 
and  wealth.  Charleston  had  been  the  pride,  the  boast, 
and  the  delight  of  the  high-spirited  gentry  and 
gallant  yeomanry  of  that  country,  but  it  was  now 
under  the  heel  of  the  conqueror. 

Following  the  fall  of  Charleston,  on  the  29th  of 
May,  came  the  horrible  butchery  at  Waxhaws,  S.  C., 
where  Lieutenant-Colonel  Tarleton  suddenly  charged 
upon  Lieutenant-Colonel  Buford,  routing  his  forces 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  17 

and  killing  many  of  his  soldiers  while  asking  quarter. 
By  official  report  113  were  killed,  150  so  badly 
wounded  as  to  be  paroled  on  the  ground,  most  of 
whom  died,  and  53  prisoners  were  marched  to  Camden. 
Colonel  Buford  with  a  few  of  the  cavalry  escaped. 
To  offset  this  disaster,  the  defeat  of  the  British  at 
Hanging  Rock,  S.  C.,  by  Major  Davie  was  a  gleam 
of  hope  in  the  struggle  which  had  almost  wrested  two 
States  from  the  Confederation.  Andrew  Jackson, 
at  the  age  of  thirteen,  commenced  his  career  as  a 
soldier  in  this  fight. 

The  hero  of  Saratoga,  the  conqueror  of  Burgoyne, 
was  ordered  to  succeed  the  unfortunate  Lincoln  in 
command  of  the  Southern  forces,  and  General 
Horatio  Gates'  arrival  in  the  South  was  hailed  with 
universal  acclamation.  The  advance  of  his  army 
into  South  Carolina  roused  all  the  latent  energies  of 
the  State,  but  his  great  haste  so  overleaped  cautious 
judgment  that  it  brought  about  the  terrible  defeat 
of  Camden.  A  second  time  the  army  of  the  South 
was  nearly  annihilated,  and  General  Gates  retreated 
to  Hillsborough,  N.  C.,  where  he  decided  to  collect 
his  shattered  forces.  The  victory  at  King's  Moun- 
tain over  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ferguson  was  one  gleam 
of  light  in  the  darkness  of  the  defeat  at  Camden,  and 
it  relieved  North  Carolina  from  the  invasion  threat- 
ened by  Lord  Cornwallis. 

Although  Gates  was  reorganizing  his  army  with 
commendable  zeal  and  skill,  neither  Congress  nor  the 
people  were  satisfied  to  allow  him  to  remain  in  com- 
mand. Congress  resolved  a  court  of  inquiry  and 
authorized  Washington  to  appoint  a  commander  in 
the  place  of  Gates.  Washington  promptly  selected 


18        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

General  Nathaniel  Greene,  who  reached  the  army  on 
December  2,  1780,  being  greeted  with  the  utmost 
cordiality  and  respect  by  General  Gates,  who  turned 
over  his  command  in  general  orders  the  next  day. 

Under  a  heavy  burden  Gates  proceeded  to  meet  the 
inquiry  ordered  by  Congress.  When  he  arrived  in 
Richmond  the  Legislature  was  in  session,  and  a  com- 
mittee of  the  House  of  Delegates  was  unanimously 
appointed,  with  Mr.  Henry  as  chairman,  "  to  assure 
him  of  the  high  regard  and  esteem  of  this  House; 
that  the  remembrance  of  his  former  glorious  services 
could  not  be  obliterated  by  any  reverse  of  fortune; 
and  that  the  House  of  Delegates,  ever  mindful  of  his 
great  merit,  would  omit  no  opportunity  of  testifying 
to  the  world  the  gratitude  which  as  a  member  of  the 
American  Union  this  country  owed  to  him  in  his  mili- 
tary career."  It  was  a  noble  and  just  tribute  to  a 
vanquished  hero  whom  misfortune  had  overtaken. 
General  Gates  in  his  answer  said :  "  I  shall  remember 
with  the  utmost  gratitude  the  honor  this  day  done 
me  by  the  honorable  House  of  Delegates  of  Virginia. 
When  I  engaged  in  the  cause  of  freedom  and  the 
United  States,  I  devoted  myself  entirely  to  the  service 
of  obtaining  the  great  end  of  this  Union.  The  having 
been  once  unfortunate  is  my  great  mortification ;  but 
let  the  event  of  my  future  services  be  what  it  may, 
they  will  be  as  they  always  have  been,  directed  by  the 
most  faithful  integrity,  and  animated  by  the  purest 
zeal  for  the  honor  and  interest  of  the  United  States." 

Washington's  magnanimity  was  no  less  than  that 
displayed  by  the  noble  and  generous-hearted  members 
of  the  House  of  Delegates.  He  delayed  the  order  for 
a  court-martial,  and  the  speedy  close  of  the  war 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  19 

avoided  the  humiliation  of  the  inquiry  to  the  proud 
soldier. 

General  Greene  found  his  forces  consisted  of  but 
a  small  army,  poorly  clad,  with  only  three  days' 
rations  and  a  very  scant  supply  of  ammunition. 
Having  called  together  all  the  reinforcements  at  his 
command,  he  decided  to  divide  his  army,  and  make  a 
bold  movement  on  each  flank  of  the  enemy.  His  policy 
was  to  harass  and  divide  the  royal  army,  intimidate 
its  partisans  and  cut  off  its  supplies,  but  to  avoid  a 
general  engagement.  He  sent  General  Daniel 
Morgan,  with  400  Continental  troops  under  Colonel 
Howard,  Colonel  William  Washington  with  his  corps 
of  dragoons,  and  a  few  militia,  to  a  position  near 
Ninety-Six  in  order  to  overcome  the  Tories,  who  were 
committing  great  ravages  in  this  section  of  the  State. 
Lord  Cornwallis  at  once  detached  the  bloody  and 
indefatigable  Tarleton  to  pursue  Morgan,  who  boldly 
came  to  a  halt  at  the  Cowpens  and  most  skillfully 
arrayed  his  forces  for  Tarleton's  attack.  On  January 
17,  1781,  Tarleton,  with  his  usual  impetuosity, 
charged  Morgan's  men,  who  were  posted  on  the  slope 
of  a  hill.  Colonel  Pickens'  militia  delivered  a  number 
of  deadly  volleys,  retired  behind  the  lines,  and 
Howard's  regulars  then  met  the  enemy  with  murder- 
ous fire,  followed  by  a  bayonet  charge,  while  at  the 
same  time  Washington's  Dragoons  struck  their  right 
flank.  The  rout  was  complete,  and  Tarleton  with  a 
few  men  fled  to  carry  the  news  to  Cornwallis.  The 
British  loss  was  230  killed  and  wounded,  and  600 
taken  prisoners — a  number  equal  to  the  whole 
American  force  engaged.  In  point  of  military  tactics 
this  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  battles  of  the  war. 


20        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

The  triumph  over  an  enemy  the  terror  of  the  whole 
country,  so  long  dreaded  for  his  fiery  courage  and 
merciless  severity,  not  only  animated  the  Americans 
with  enthusiasm,  but  was  the  proximate  cause  of  all 
the  difficulties  of  the  British  during  the  rest  of  the 
campaign. 

Cornwallis,  converting  his  forces  into  light  troops, 
undertook  to  intercept  Morgan  and  prevent  his  junc- 
tion with  Greene,  but  skillful  tactics  and  providential 
freshets  in  the  rivers  frustrated  his  efforts.  Greene 
outmaneuvered  Cornwallis  until  his  succors  arrived, 
then  he  determined  to  offer  battle,  and  the  two  hostile 
armies  met  on  March  15,  1781,  at  Guilford  Court 
House  in  North  Carolina.  It  was  a  hard-fought  field, 
and  Greene  retired  after  a  loss  of  400  men,  while  the 
British,  with  a  loss  of  600  men,  were  too  crippled  to 
renew  the  battle.  It  was  really  a  strategic  victory 
for  the  Americans,  and  Cornwallis  retreated  and 
abandoned  the  Carolinas.  Greene  now  resolved  to 
march  into  South  Carolina,  where  he  was  surprised 
and  defeated  by  Lord  Rawdon  at  Hobkirk's  Hill. 
The  New  York  Volunteers  here  formed  the  center 
column  of  Rawdon's  victorious  troops.  Greene  re- 
trieved this  repulse,  however,  for  on  September  8, 
1781,  he  fell  upon  the  English  at  Eutaw  Springs  and 
fought  one  of  the  bloodiest  battles  of  the  war.  The 
American  loss  was  554,  and  that  of  the  British,  1000. 
Again  a  tactical  defeat  proved  a  strategic  victory, 
for  during  the  night  the  British  retreated  in  such 
haste  to  Charleston  as  to  leave  their  wounded  on  the 
field. 

The  duties  of  General  Greene  continued  to  be 
arduous  and  exacting,  as  may  be  seen  from  the 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION 


following  extracts  from  his  correspondence  :  "  I 
have  been  seven  months  without  taking  off  my  clothes 
one  night,"  and  on  August  12,  1782,  he  wrote:  "  For 
upwards  of  two  months  more  than  one-third  of  our 
army  was  naked,  with  nothing  but  a  breech-cloth 
about  them,  and  never  came  out  of  their  tents  ;  and 
the  rest  were  as  ragged  as  wolves.  Our  condition 
was  little  better  in  the  articles  of  provisions.  Our 
beef  was  perfect  carrion,  and,  even  bad  as  it  was,  we 
were  frequently  without  any.  An  army  thus  clothed 
and  fed  may  be  considered  in  a  desperate  con- 
dition." 

The  last  engagement  of  the  war  was  on  August 
27,  1782,  at  Combahee  Ferry,  S.  C.  (seven  years, 
four  months,  and  eight  days  after  the  battle  of 
Lexington),  where  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  Laurens, 
having  risen  from  a  sick  bed  to  hasten  to  the  field, 
fell  leading  a  charge  on  the  retiring  enemy,  "  thus 
closing  his  short  and  splendid  life  in  the  luster  of 
heroism."  After  the  evacuation  of  Charleston,  on 
December  14,  1782,  General  Greene  entered  the  city 
at  the  head  of  a  body  of  cavalry.  The  spectators 
at  first  gazed  in  silence  upon  the  brilliant  hero  of  the 
South,  the  deliverer  of  Carolina,  and  then  one 
universal  shout  arose  from  the  vast  assemblage. 
Every  kind  of  festive  entertainment  in  his  honor  was 
tendered  to  him  and  substantial  rewards  from  a 
grateful  and  generous  people  were  bestowed  on  him. 
South  Carolina  gave  him  an  estate  worth  $50,000, 
Georgia  another  of  half  of  that  value,  and  North 
Carolina  gave  him  an  extensive  tract  of  land  in 
Tennessee. 

Athough  Greene  deserved  great  credit  for  his  skill- 


22        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

ful  maneuvers,  the  hardest  and  most  effectual  blows 
for  liberty  were  dealt  by  his  subordinates,  than  whom 
more  faithful  and  skillful  officers  never  drew  sword 
in  any  cause.  The  great  victory  at  the  Cowpens  was 
due  to  Morgan's  tactics,  for  Morgan  always  cau- 
tioned his  sharpshooters  "  to  aim  at  the  epaulets  and 
not  at  the  poor  rascals  who  fight  for  a  sixpence 
a  day."  It  was  in  this  battle  that  one  of  his  soldiers 
by  the  name  of  Manning  found  himself  surrounded, 
and,  being  a  large  man,  he  seized  a  small  British 
officer,  placed  him  upon  his  shoulders  and  safely 
retreated,  the  English  not  daring  to  fire  upon  Man- 
ning for  fear  of  killing  their  officer.  The  little  officer 
was  terribly  frightened,  but  Manning  took  good  care 
of  him.  General  Morgan's  former  services  had 
placed  him  high  in  public  estimation,  but  now  he  was 
deservedly  ranked  among  the  most  illustrious  de- 
fenders of  his  country. 

Congress  passed  a  resolution  of  thanks  to  the 
principal  officers,  and  presented  a  gold  medal  to 
General  Morgan,  a  sword  to  General  Pickens,  a  silver 
medal  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Washington  and  to 
Howard,  and  a  sword  to  Captain  Triplet. 

In  this  summary  of  intrepid  deeds  of  American 
officers,  mention  should  be  made  of  one  of  the 
most  extraordinary  enterprises  of  the  war,  executed 
by  Colonel  John  White  of  the  Georgia  Line. 

While  the  allied  army  was  engaged  before  Savan- 
nah, he,  with  Captain  Etholm  and  three  soldiers,  ap- 
proached in  the  night  the  camp  of  Captain  French, 
who  commanded  a  small  detachment  of  British 
regulars  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Savannah,  and 
enkindled  a  number  of  fires  in  the  semblance  of  a 


AMERICAN  REVOLUTION 


camp  of  considerable  strength.  The  ruse  was  a 
complete  success,  for  the  British  troops,  seeing  the 
illumination,  believed  they  were  assailed  by  the  enemy 
in  a  body.  Immediately  on  the  completion  of  this  pre- 
liminary act,  Colonel  White  and  his  four  comrades, 
imitating  the  manner  of  the  staff,  rode  in  apparent 
excitement  and  haste  about  the  British  camp,  giving 
orders  in  a  loud  voice  to  the  soldiers  whom  he  led  the 
English  troops  to  believe  had  surrounded  them. 
These  stratagems  convinced  the  enemy  that  they  were 
confronted  by  a  large  force,  and,  on  being  sum- 
moned by  Colonel  White,  Captain  French  surren- 
dered his  regulars,  the  crews  of  five  vessels,  forty  in 
number,  with  the  vessels  and  one  hundred  stand  of 
arms.  Colonel  White,  to  successfully  carry  his  en- 
terprise to  a  fulfillment,  assured  Colonel  French  that 
the  animosity  of  his  troops  had  been  greatly  aroused 
by  the  recent  atrocities  of  the  enemy  and  that  he  had 
to  keep  them  from  meeting  the  British,  to  prevent 
indiscriminate  slaughter.  Therefore,  he  said,  he 
would  send  three  guides  to  conduct  Colonel  French 
and  his  surrendered  men  to  good  and  safe  quarters. 
He  then  hastily  rode  off,  and  collecting  the  neigh- 
borhood militia  he  soon  overtook  the  guides  with 
their  prisoners,  happy  in  the  good  treatment  they 
had  received. 

General  Andrew  Pickens,  whose  spirited  service 
with  his  South  Carolina  militia  contributed  in  a  great 
degree  to  the  liberation  of  the  South,  rose  succes- 
sively from  captain  to  major,  colonel,  and  briga- 
dier-general. He  displayed  conspicuous  valor  and 
activity  at  the  Cowpens,  at  Hawk  River,  at  Augusta 
and  at  Eutaw  Springs,  at  which  last  place  a  musket 


24        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

ball,  by  striking  the  buckle  of  his  belt,  was  prevented 
from  terminating  the  career  of  this  intrepid  officer. 
At  Kettle  Creek  he  defeated  Colonel  Boyd,  a  very 
brave  officer  who  commanded  a  body  of  Tories  and 
Indians  double  the  force  of  Pickens. 

General  Francis  Marion  was  a  great  partisan 
soldier,  and  his  heavy  blows  were  not  less  effective  in 
the  cause  of  the  South  than  those  of  the  bravest  of 
his  compatriots.  He  served  in  the  rank  of  major 
under  Colonel  Moultrie  in  his  gallant  defense  of  Fort 
Moultrie  against  the  combined  attack  of  Sir  Henry 
Clinton  and  Sir  Henry  Parker,  and  afterwards  he 
was  given  command  of  a  regiment  as  lieutenant- 
colonel.  Marion  was  a  man  of  vigorous  intellect, 
and  of  quiet  and  reserved  manner.  He  was  virtuous 
and  ever  endeavored  to  do  right,  and  was  beloved  by 
his  friends  and  respected  by  his  enemies.  He 
possessed  a  strong  head,  a  good  heart,  and  mind 
devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  people  and  their  cause. 
It  is  said  that  on  one  occasion  a  British  officer  with 
a  flag  of  truce,  proposing  an  exchange  of  prisoners, 
was  brought  blindfolded  into  Marion's  camp.  The 
exploits  of  Marion  had  made  his  name  now  widely 
known,  and  the  officer  felt  great  curiosity  to  see  the 
invisible  warrior  who  was  so  often  felt,  but  never 
seen.  On  removing  the  bandage  from  his  eyes  he 
was  presented  to  a  man  rather  below  the  middle  size, 
very  thin  in  person,  of  a  dark  complexion  and 
withered  look,  dressed  in  homespun  coat  that  bore 
evidence  of  flood  and  field,  and  his  other  garments 
being  much  the  worse  for  wear.  "  I  came,"  said  the 
officer,  "  with  a  message  for  General  Marion."  "  I 
am  he,"  said  Marion,  "  and  these  are  my  soldiers." 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  25 

The  officer  looked  around  and  saw  a  number  of  rough, 
half-clothed  fellows,  some  roasting  sweet  potatoes, 
others  resting  on  their  dark  muskets,  others  asleep 
with  logs  for  their  pillows.  The  business  being  set- 
tled, the  officer  was  about  to  go  when  Marion  invited 
him  to  remain  and  dine.  Not  seeing  any  preparation 
of  dinner,  he  was  inclined  to  take  the  invitation  in 
jest,  but  on  being  again  pressed,  curiosity  as  well  as 
hunger  prompted  him  to  accept.  The  General  then 
ordered  his  servant  to  set  the  table  and  serve  up 
dinner,  upon  which  the  man  placed  a  clean  piece  of 
pine  bark  on  the  ground,  and,  raking  away  the  ashes, 
uncovered  a  quantity  of  sweet  potatoes.  The  British 
officer,  after  partaking  of  the  modest  meal,  and  learn- 
ing that  these  potatoes  constituted  the  whole  com- 
missariat of  Marion  and  his  men,  returned  to  his  com- 
mander and  said :  "  Sir,  I  have  seen  the  American 
general,  his  officers,  and  soldiers,  serving  without  pay, 
without  shelter,  without  clothing,  without  any  other 
food  than  roots  and  water ;  and  they  are  enduring  all 
these  for  liberty !  What  chance  have  we  of  subduing 
a  country  with  such  men  for  defenders?  " 

Another  name  sounds  "  down  the  corridors  of 
time  "  with  that  of  Marion — General  Thomas  Sum- 
ter,  a  soldier  of  stern  aspect,  insuperable  firmness  and 
lofty  courage.  Like  Ajax,  he  relied  more  upon  the 
fierceness  of  his  courage  than  the  results  of  unrelax- 
ing  vigilance  and  nicely  adjusted  tactics,  and  risked 
his  own  life  and  the  lives  of  his  soldiers  without 
reserve,  bearing  himself  with  distinguished  gallantry 
in  every  combat. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  William  Washington,  a  distant 
relative  of  the  commander-in-chief,  greatly  con- 


26        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

tributed  to  baffle  the  skillful  display  of  military  tal- 
ents and  enterprise  exhibited  by  Cornwallis.  Colonel 
Washington  had  a  stout  frame,  being  six  feet  in 
height,  broad,  strong,  and  corpulent.  At  Guilford 
Court  House,  while  charging  at  the  head  of  his 
dragoons,  he  nearly  captured  Cornwallis.  In  one  of 
his  contests  with  Tarleton's  cavalry,  Washington's 
impetuosity  separated  him  from  his  troopers  and  he 
was  furiously  attacked  by  an  officer  and  a  dozen 
British  Dragoons.  While  defending  himself  he  broke 
his  sword  and  was  in  a  most  perilous  situation.  The 
enemy  pressed  upon  him  with  the  fullest  confidence 
of  killing  him,  when  Sergeant  Everhart,  of  Frederick 
County,  Maryland,  gallantly  rushed  up  to  him  and 
handed  him  his  well-tried  sword.  Washington  now 
extricated  himself  from  his  hazardous  situation,  cut- 
ting down  his  antagonists  and  was  soon  joined  by  his 
troops.  Colonel  Washington  ever  afterwards  at- 
tributed the  preservation  of  his  life  to  the  timely 
relief  afforded  by  Everhart,  and  gratefully  acknowl- 
edging it,  he  enrolled  him  on  the  list  of  his  dearest 
friends.  He  never  passed  through  Frederickstown 
without  spending  a  day  or  two  with  his  faithful 
sergeant,  who  was  a  zealous  and  pious  minister  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  John  E.  Howard  of  Maryland 
was  one  of  the  five  lieutenant-colonels  on  whom  Greene 
relied  throughout  the  hazardous  operations  to  which 
he  was  necessarily  exposed  by  his  heroic  determination 
to  recover  the  South  or  die  in  the  attempt.  At  the 
battle  of  Cowpens  Colonel  Howard  seized  the  critical 
moment  and  turned  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  Alike 
conspicuous,  though  not  alike  successful,  at  Guilford 


and  Eutaw,  he  was  at  all  times  and  on  all  occasions 
eminently  skillful  and  zealous  in  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  assigned  to  him.  Trained  to  infantry  service, 
he  was  invariably  employed  in  that  line  and  was 
always  to  be  found  where  the  battle  raged  fiercest, 
pressing  into  the  close  action  that  the  bayonet  charge 
demands.  He  was  placid  in  temper  and  reserved  in 
deportment,  and  General  Greene  said  he  was  as  good 
an  officer  as  the  world  afforded ;  that  he  had  great 
ability  and  the  best  disposition  to  promote  the  service ; 
that  his  own  obligations  to  him  were  great,  and  those 
of  the  public  still  more  so ;  that  he  deserved  a  statue 
of  gold  no  less  than  Roman  and  Grecian  heroes  of 
ages  long  ago. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  William  Richardson  Davie  and 
General  William  Davidson  of  North  Carolina  were 
heroes  distinguished  for  brilliant  service.  The  for- 
mer, although  a  splendid  officer  at  the  head  of  a  cav- 
alry regiment,  was  induced  by  General  Greene  to 
assume  the  head  of  his  commissary  department. 
Though  most  reluctantly  accepted,  he  contributed 
greatly  by  his  talents,  zeal,  local  knowledge,  and  his 
influence  toward  the  maintenance  of  the  difficult  and 
successful  operations  which  followed.  General  Da- 
vidson fell  on  the  field  of  battle  and  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States  passed  the  following  resolution: 
"  Resolved,  That  the  Governor  and  Council  of  the 
State  of  North  Carolina  be  desired  to  erect  a  monu- 
ment, at  the  expense  of  the  United  States,  not  exceed- 
ing in  value  of  five  hundred  dollars,  to  the  memory  of 
the  late  Brigadier-General  Davidson,  who  com- 
manded the  militia  of  the  District  of  Salisbury  in 
the  State  of  North  Carolina  and  was  killed  on  the 


28        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

first  day  of  February  last,  fighting  gallantly  in  de- 
fense of  liberty  and  independence  of  these  States." 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Henry  Lee,  "  Light  Horse 
Harry,"  the  father  of  the  illustrious  Robert  E.  Lee, 
was  another  one  of  the  noble  band  of  heroes  who 
served  the  cause  of  independence  with  great  courage 
and  noble  self-sacrifice.  His  great  patriotism  was 
exalted  by  the  misfortunes  of  his  country,  and  he 
freely  gave  his  private  fortune  to  equip  his  dragoons. 
As  he  said :  "  Public  virtue  is  best  proved  by  private 
sacrifice,"  thus  testifying  that  true  glory  is  insep- 
arable from  virtue.  He  believed  that  clemency 
adorned  heroism,  and  his  heart  went  out  to  sufferers 
everywhere.  In  a  letter  to  General  Wayne  he  said: 
"  I  feel  most  sensibly  for  the  situation  of  the 
refugees  from  South  Carolina,  their  distresses  are 
only  equaled  by  their  virtues.  No  situation  of  any 
inhabitants  of  the  above  description  in  the  Northern 
States  can  give  you  even  a  faint  idea  of  what  these 
people  suffer." 

Lee's  Legion  was  a  powerful  factor  in  Greene's 
Southern  campaign.  In  less  than  two  months  it  made 
an  extensive  sweep  from  the  Santee  to  Augusta,  act- 
ing in  conjunction  first  with  Marion,  afterwards  with 
Pickens,  and  sometimes  alone,  and  it  constituted  the 
principal  force  which  carried  five  British  posts  and 
made  upward  of  one  thousand  prisoners,  about  four 
times  its  own  number.  A  very  extraordinary  and 
ridiculous  occurrence  took  place  on  the  night  Lee's 
Legion  was  encamped  on  the  south  side  of  Drowning 
Creek,  a  branch  of  the  Little  Pedee  River.  Between 
two  and  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  officer  of  the 
day  was  informed  that  a  strange  noise  had  been  heard 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  29 

in  front  of  the  picket  station  on  the  Great  Road 
near  the  creek,  a  noise  resembling  that  occasioned  by 
men  moving  through  a  swamp.  Presently  a  sentinel 
fired,  which  was  followed  by  the  bugle  calling  in  the 
horse  patrols,  as  was  the  custom  on  the  approach  of 
the  enemy.  The  troops  were  summoned  to  arms  and 
deployed  for  defense.  The  officer  of  the  day  reported 
that  several  of  the  sentinels  heard  plainly  the  move- 
men  of  horsemen,  evidently  concealing  their  advance 
with  the  utmost  care.  Colonel  Lee,  knowing  that  no 
enemy  could  be  near  him,  unless  it  was  that  Lord 
Cornwallis,  divining  Greene's  plan,  had  pushed  a  body 
from  Wilmington  with  orders  to  proceed  until  it 
reached  Drowning  Creek,  therefore  considered  the 
intelligence  as  untrustworthy  and  false.  In  a  few 
moments,  however,  another  sentinel  fired  in  a  different 
direction,  and  soon  afterwards  the  same  report  was 
made  from  that  point  that  had  just  been  received 
from  the  other.  Appearances  were  not  so  strong  as 
to  dissipate  the  first  conclusion,  and  what  had  been 
deemed  imagination  was  felt  now  to  be  real.  A 
change  in  the  formation  was  ordered  to  correspond 
with  that  last  announcement  of  the  approach  of  the 
enemy.  This  was  not  completed  before  a  third  senti- 
nel fired  from  a  different  direction,  and  now  the  most 
bewildering  sensations  were  experienced :  It  appeared 
as  if  different  positions  of  attack  were  wisely  and 
dexterously  made,  preparatory  to  a  general  assault, 
to  take  effect  at  daybreak.  All  that  could  be  done 
was  done.  The  pickets  and  sentinels  held  their  sta- 
tions, the  horse  patrols  were  called  in,  and  the  corps 
changed  its  position  in  silence  and  with  precision 
upon  every  new  report,  having  in  view  the  conjoint 


30        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

object  of  keeping  the  fires  between  the  Legion  and 
the  enemy,  and  holding  the  horse  in  the  rear  of  the 
infantry.  During  the  last  evolution  to  this  end  the 
troops  were  again  interrupted  by  the  discharge  of  the 
line  of  sentinels  in  their  rear,  along  the  Great  Road. 
The  enemy  had  traversed  the  major  segment  of  the 
Legion's  position,  and  had  fixed  himself  upon  the  road 
of  march !  No  doubt  now  remained,  not  only  that  the 
enemy  was  upon  them,  but  he  was  in  force  and  he 
thoroughly  understood  his  object.  He  had  recon- 
noitered  with  penetration  and  perseverance,  and  had 
placed  himself  in  the  very  spot  that  promised  most 
certain  success.  Reviewing  the  situation,  the  gallant 
Lee  could  not  hope  for  aid  from  any  quarter  and  had 
to  rely  upon  himself  and  the  soldiers  at  hand.  Pass- 
ing along  the  line  of  infantry  he  made  known  the  con- 
dition, reminding  his  men  of  their  high  reputation, 
enjoining  profound  silence  throughout  the  approach- 
ing contest,  and  assuring  them  that,  with  their  cus- 
tomary support,  he  had  no  doubt  that  he  could  force 
his  way  to  the  Pedee.  To  the  cavalry  he  briefly  com- 
municated the  dangers  which  surrounded  them,  and 
expressed  his  confidence  that  every  man  would  do  his 
duty.  He  concluded  by  urging  the  officers  not  to 
permit  any  partial  success  to  tempt  pursuit  without 
orders,  or  to  relax  circumspection,  but  to  bear  in 
mind  that  the  contest  before  them  was  not  the  affair 
of  an  hour,  but  that  it  might  last  for  days.  Then, 
having  formed  in  two  columns,  one  of  horse  and  the 
other  of  foot,  Lee  waited  anxiously  for  the  dawn  of 
day,  the  presumed  signal  for  action.  At  dawn  the 
columns  advanced  to  the  Great  Road,  infantry  in 
front,  baggage  in  the  center,  and  cavalry  in  the  rear. 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  31 

As  soon  as  the  head  of  the  column  reached  the  road 
it  turned  to  the  left,  pursuing  the  route  to  the  Pedee 
River.  The  van  officer,  proceeding  a  few  hundred 
yards,  got  up  to  the  sentinel  who  had  fired  last,  and 
received  from  him  the  account  so  often  given  before. 
The  enigma  still  remained  unexplained  and  the 
corps  continued  its  slow  march,  expecting  every 
moment  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  While  in  this  state  of 
suspense  the  van  officer  directed  his  attention  to  the 
road  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  trail  of  this 
active  foe,  when,  to  his  astonishment,  he  found  the 
tracks  of  a  large  pack  of  wolves.  It  was  now  evident 
that  the  presumed  enemy  was  a  troop  of  wild  beasts, 
collected  together  and  anxious  to  pass  along  their 
usual  route,  when,  finding  it  obstructed,  they  turned 
from  point  to  point  to  pass  through  the  field ;  every- 
where fired  upon,  they  continued  widening  their  circuit 
until  they  reached  the  Great  Road  from  which  they 
had  been  originally  turned.  Agitation  among  the 
soldiers,  upon  this  discovery,  was  succeeded  by  the 
highest  spirits.  Never  was  a  day's  march  more 
pleasant.  It  was  one  continued  scene  of  humor,  and 
for  a  time  the  restraint  of  discipline  ceased.  Every 
soldier,  not  excepting  Colonel  Lee  himself,  considered 
himself  a  dupe,  and  all  laughed  at  their  own  credulity. 
It  was  wonderful,  they  said,  that  not  one  of  many 
could  distinguish  between  the  movement  of  wolves  and 
soldiers !  Arriving  at  a  settlement,  the  Legion  was 
halted.  Here  what  had  passed  was  told  to  the  inhabi- 
tants and  the  mystery  of  the  adventure  was  very 
satisfactorily  solved.  There  had  been  in  the  field 
where  the  Legion  had  encamped  a  store  of  provisions 
collected  for  the  army,  but  these  had  never  been  con- 


32        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

veyed  to  camp,  being  too  distant  from  the  line  of 
march.  Having  been  neglected,  the  provisions  be- 
came putrid,  and  the  wolves  soon  profited  by  the 
neglect,  nightly  enjoyed  the  food  intended  for  the 
soldiers.  Having  encompassed  within  the  range  of 
sentinels  this  abandoned  store,  the  Legion  had  in- 
terrupted the  usual  visits  of  the  wolves,  and  the  circle 
which  they  nearly  completed  was  from  anxiety  to  find 
access  to  their  nightly  repast.  I  have  related  this 
incident  as  nearly  as  may  be  in  the  language  of 
General  Lee  himself. 

When  "  Light  Horse  Harry's  "  Legion  was  ordered 
South,  General  Washington  wrote :  "  Lee's  corps 
will  go  to  the  southward.  I  believe  it  will  be  found 
very  useful;  the  corps  is  an  excellent  one  and  the 
officer  at  the  head  of  it  has  great  resources  of 
genius."  This  prediction  was  true,  as  is  evidenced  by 
the  accounts  of  his  service,  confirmed  by  General 
Greene.  On  Lee's  departure  from  the  South  General 
Greene  wrote  him :  "  Substantial  service  is  what  con- 
stitutes lasting  reputation,  and  your  reports  of  this 
campaign  are  the  best  panegyrics  that  can  be  given 
your  actions."  Colonel  Lee  was  not  only  a  grand 
soldier,  but  he  was  a  man  of  splendid  literary  attain- 
ments. A  speaker  "  with  a  force  of  eloquence  wholly 
his  own,"  and  the  memorable  sentence  in  his  eulogy 
on  Washington,  "  First  in  war,  first  in  peace,  first 
in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen,"  will  be  quoted  as 
long  as  this  Republic  stands. 

After  the  unsuccessful  attack  on  Fort  Ninety-Six, 
General  Greene  encamped  his  army  in  Newberry 
County,  South  Carolina,  near  the  home  of  John 
Greiger.  Lord  Rawdon  decided  to  evacuate  Fort 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  33 

Ninety-Six,  march  to  Orangeburg  and  thence  to  Fri- 
day's Ferry.  This  seemed  to  give  an  opportunity  for 
Greene  to  strike  a  decisive  blow,  but  he  feared  to  risk 
the  trial  without  the  aid  of  General  Sumter,  who  was 
one  hundred  miles  away  on  the  Wateree.  The  country 
was  infested  with  Tories,  so  bloodthirsty  that  it  was 
as  much  as  a  man's  life  was  worth  to  attempt  to  pass 
through  it.  Therefore  the  American  commander 
could  find  no  man  willing  to  take  an  order  to  Sumter. 
Emily  Greiger  heard  her  invalid  father  lamenting  this 
fact,  and  she  decided  to  undertake  the  dangerous 
journey.  Without  consulting  her  father  she  went  to 
General  Greene  and  offered  to  convey  his  message  to 
General  Sumter.  At  first  he  refused  to  accept  her 
offer,  but  on  her  urgent  solicitation  he  yielded  and 
placed  his  instructions  to  General  Sumter  in  her 
hands.  She  committed  the  dispatch  to  memory  and 
started  out  on  a  swift  horse  on  the  perilous  journey. 
She  rode  the  first  day  without  molestation,  and  spent 
the  night  at  the  house  of  a  friend,  but  the  next  after- 
noon was  captured  by  the  British  soldiers  and  carried 
to  Lord  Rawdon.  He  sent  her  to  a  room  in  the  house 
of  his  headquarters  and  ordered  two  Tory  women  to 
search  her;  but  before  they  came  to  fulfill  their  er- 
rand she  took  the  letter  from  her  bosom,  tore  it  into 
small  pieces,  chewed  them  up  one  by  one  and  swal- 
lowed them.  The  women  found  nothing,  in  conse- 
quence, and  about  nightfall  she  was  discharged. 
Lord  Rawdon's  gentlemanly  courtesy  sent  an  escort 
with  her  to  the  residence  of  her  relatives,  about  six 
miles  away,  but  she  only  halted  there  long  enough  to 
mount  a  fresh  horse  and  gallop  on.  She  pressed  for- 
ward without  rest,  and  that  afternoon  repeated 


34        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

Greene's  dispatch  to  General  Sumter.  No  decisive 
battle  resulted  from  the  junction  of  Greene  and  Sum- 
ter, but  the  English  were  gradually  forced  towards 
the  coast,  until  after  the  Battle  of  Eutaw  Springs, 
when  only  Charleston  remained  to  them  in  South 
Carolina.  This  fearless  deed  of  the  patriotic  girl  is 
a  glorious  star  in  the  .crown  of  Southern  woman- 
hood, and  its  brightness  is  not  rivaled  in  all  the  dar- 
ing deeds  of  the  Revolution. 

Another  instance  of  heroic  devotion  and  sacrifice 
was  exhibited  by  Mrs.  Motte,  in  assisting  to  burn 
her  own  beautiful  mansion  at  Fort  Motte,  which  was 
necessary  for  the  reduction  of  that  post  by  Marion 
and  Lee.  The  suffering  and  sacrifice  of  the  noble 
women  of  the  South,  often  subjected  to  insulting 
indignities  by  vindictive  enemies,  were  the  most  severe 
penalties  and  pains  in  the  disasters  of  the  Revolution  ; 
but  ever  true  and  faithful  were  those  household 
queens,  whose  "  sway  was  over  fond  hearts,  generous 
sensibilities,  and  immaculate  honor,"  and  so  their 
daughters  reign  to-day  over  the  hearts  of  men  in 
Southern  homes. 

We  are  distant  enough  from  the  scenes  of  the 
Revolution  not  to  be  hampered  by  such  modesty  of 
speech  in  recounting  their  deeds,  as  those  who  have 
gone  before  us,  and  we  should  now  present  and  pub- 
lish the  exploits  of  our  ancestors  before  all  the  world, 
so  that  their  heroism  and  patriotism  may  neither  be 
overshadowed  by  the  oft-repeated  and  republished 
history  of  the  North,  nor  forgotten  by  the  people  of 
the  South,  who  should  be  too  proud  of  the  glorious 
achievements  of  their  fathers  to  allow  the  records  to 
be  buried  and  forgotten — without  monuments  or 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION  35 

epitaphs.  The  patriotism  and  heroic  privations  of 
these  soldiers  should  be  heralded  as  they  deserve,  for 
the  men  of  no  army  dared  more  or  suffered  more  than 
they.  Under  all  conditions  they  upheld  their  flag 
and,  on  the  soil  of  South  Carolina,  poured  out  the 
last  blood  of  the  war  as  a  libation  for  liberty  and 
independence. 

The  greater  part  of  the  North,  so  far  as  its  indus- 
trial pursuits  were  concerned,  did  not  feel  the  sting 
of  war;  but  its  ruthless  arm  swept  over  the  whole 
inhabited  portions  of  the  Carolinas,  Georgia,  and 
eastern  Virginia,  and  left  the  people  in  a  most  de- 
plorable condition  at  the  close  of  the  conflict.  The 
sacrifice  of  blood  and  property  so  freely  offered  on 
the  altar  of  independence  furnishes  a  glorious  record 
for  the  South, — a  record  which  should  be  shouted  on 
the  hustings,  printed  in  the  schoolbooks,  and  lettered 
on  monuments  of  granite  and  brass. 


WASHINGTON,  THE  PATRIOT,  UNDER 
TWO    FLAGS 

HUMAN  hearts  have  always  been  moved  to  sympa- 
thy in  honoring  great  heroes  and  patriots.  There  are 
many  shining  names  on  the  pages  of  American  his- 
tory, but  the  one  bright,  particular  star,  the  day- 
star  of  American  liberty,  is  George  Washington. 

His  ancestors  were  polished  Englishmen,  esteemed 
gentlemen  among  the  British  nobility.  They  were 
loyal  to  the  House  of  Stuart  and  emigrated  to  the 
loyal  dominion  of  Virginia  when  Cromwell  established 
his  Commonwealth.  Washington  was  a  Virginia 
gentleman,  distinguished  by  good  breeding,  modesty, 
politeness,  and  a  high  regard  for  truth.  The 
characteristics  of  chivalry  and  manhood  were  ances- 
tral heirlooms,  and  they  made  him  the  greatest  of  his 
name. 

Washington  was  born  near  the  banks  of  the  Po- 
tomac, where  he  could  hear  the  murmur  of  its  waters 
and  their  rush  to  the  sea — in  Westmoreland,  a  name 
significant  of  our  Republic's  westward  march  to 
where  Philippine  stars  hold  midnight  court. 

Washington's  father  died  when  he  was  young, 
which  left  the  boy  to  the  sole  care  of  his  mother. 
It  takes  a  mother's  heart  to  train  a  hero.  At  home, 
by  the  fireside,  the  silent  battle  is  fought  and  there 
the  victory  is  won. 

Washington  did  not  have  such  educational  ad- 
vantages as  are  now  afforded  by  our  public  schools. 

36 


WASHINGTON,    THE    PATRIOT         37 

His  instruction  was  of  the  simplest  kind — only  pri- 
mary English,  arithmetic,  and  surveying;  and  he 
commenced  work  as  a  surveyor  one  month  after  he 
was  sixteen  years  old,  in  the  valley  of  Virginia  on 
the  vast  grants  of  Lord  Fairfax,  watered  by  the 
Shenandoah.  His  success  was  phenomenal,  and  the 
rough  work  fitted  him  for  the  life  of  a  frontier  sol- 
dier. 

At  this  time  France  owned  Canada,  claimed  the 
great  Ohio  Valley,  and  intended  to  connect  its  north- 
ern possessions  by  a  chain  of  military  forts  with 
Louisiana.  To  this  end  Indian  allies  were  courted. 
The  French  called  themselves  fathers  of  the  Indians, 
and  the  English  called  themselves  brothers  of  the 
redmen.  An  intrepid  pioneer  planted  the  British 
flag  in  the  interior  of  the  present  State  of  Ohio,  and 
the  adventurous  traders  who  followed  it  were  made 
prisoners  and  their  flag  struck  for  the  banner  of 
Louis  Fifteenth.  The  claims  of  the  French  aroused 
the  war  spirit  in  the  English  colonists,  and  Virginia 
was  divided  into  military  districts  for  the  organiza- 
tion and  equipment  of  the  militia. 

Governor  Dinwiddie  appointed  Washington,  at 
the  age  of  nineteen  years,  to  command  the  northern 
district,  as  adjutant-general  with  the  rank  of  major. 
The  sickness  of  his  brother  and  other  personal  mat- 
ters engrossed  his  attention  for  several  years,  but 
on  the  failure  of  Trent  to  submit  Dinwiddie's  protest, 
against  the  capture  of  the  traders,  to  the  French 
commander,  Washington  was  called  upon  by  the 
Governor  for  that  duty.  On  October  30,  1753,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  Washington  set  out 
from  Williamsburg,  Va.,  on  the  perilous  expedition, 


38        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

delivered  the  communication  to  the  •commander  of 
the  French  fort  near  Lake  Erie,  and  returned  on 
January  16,  1754,  to  Williamsburg,  with  the  an- 
swer of  the  French  commander. 

The  success  of  this  great  adventure  through  a 
wilderness  beset  with  treacherous  savages  made  him 
the  rising  hope  of  Virginia. 

The  French  commander's  answer  was  evasive,  and 
Dinwiddie  saw  the  impending  dangers.  He  offered 
Washington  the  command  of  the  provincial  troops, 
which  the  latter  modestly  declined;  but  he  was  in- 
duced to  accept  second  in  command,  with  the  rank 
of  lieutenant-colonel.  On  April  2,  1754,  he  started 
from  Alexandria,  Va.,  with  150  men  under  the  Brit- 
ish flag,  for  the  new  fort  at  the  fork  of  the  Ohio 
River.  Besides  the  hardships  and  difficulties  which 
beset  the  way,  dissatisfaction  arose  because  of  the 
difference  in  pay  between  the  provincial  and  the  reg- 
ular officers.  Washington,  with  that  imperial  man- 
liness which  makes  a  true  patriot,  said :  "  The  mo- 
tives that  have  led  me  here  are  pure  and  noble.  I 
had  no  view  of  acquisition  but  that  of  honor,  by  serv- 
ing faithfully  my  king  and  country,"  and  every 
word  came  burning  from  the  patriot's  heart  and  the 
hero's  love  of  country.  George  II.  was  his  king  and 
Great  Britain  was  his  country.  For  this  king  and 
under  the  flag  of  this  country  Washington  first  un- 
sheathed his  sword  in  the  wilderness  near  Great  Mead- 
ows in  western  Pennsylvania,  and  the  morning  of  his 
military  glory  dawned.  On  May  23,  1754,  he  estab- 
lished a  camp  at  Great  Meadows,  and  from  thence,  on 
the  28th,  with  a  reconnoitering  party  of  40  men,  he 
engaged  the  French  and  brought  in  20  prisoners. 


WASHINGTON,    THE    PATRIOT         39 

This  was  the  first  time  he  heard  bullets  whistle  in  bat- 
tle, and  he  was  reported  to  have  said  "  there  is  some- 
thing charming  in  their  sound."  But  when  asked 
about  this  remark  in  after  life,  he  said :  "  If  I  said  so 
it  was  when  I  was  young."  He  built  a  fort  at  Great 
Meadows  forty  by  one  hundred  feet  square,  and 
called  it  Fort  Necessity.  The  French  were  estab- 
lished at  Fort  Du  Quesne,  and  from  thence  marched 
an  overwhelming  force  against  Fort  Necessity  and 
compelled  Washington  to  capitulate.  He  lost  12 
killed  and  43  wounded  out  of  his  force  of  305  men. 

The  House  of  Burgesses,  notwithstanding  this 
defeat,  voted  thanks  to  him  and  most  of  his  officers 
for  their  bravery  and  their  gallant  defense  of  their 
country. 

Washington  was  so  annoyed  by  the  question  of 
military  rank  between  regular  officers  and  provin- 
cials, and  also  between  provincials  of  the  different 
colonies,  that  he  resigned  his  commission  and  re- 
paired to  Mount  Vernon  to  engage  in  farming,  for 
which  he  had  a  great  fondness.  In  the  meantime  the 
British  ministry  being  aroused  by  the  affair  of  Great 
Meadows,  the  government  prepared  a  plan  for  mili- 
tary operations  in  America  for  1755. 

Major-General  Edward  Braddock,  a  veteran  in 
service,  was  appointed  commander-in-chief  of  all  the 
forces  in  the  colonies.  Alexandria  was  made  the  mil- 
itary rendezvous  for  the  expedition  designed  to  be 
led  in  person  by  the  generalissimo. 

At  Mount  Vernon  Washington  heard  the  stir  and 
din  of  warlike  preparations,  and  his  military  ardor 
was  again  so  aroused  that,  when  offered  a  volunteer 
position  on  the  staff  of  Braddock,  without  pay  or 


40        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

command,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  accept  the  invita- 
tion. Braddock's  forces  were  assembled  at  Fort 
Cumberland,  Md.,  by  May  19,  but  his  dogged  ad- 
herence to  European  tactics,  totally  impracticable 
for  a  campaign  in  a  mountainous  wilderness,  made 
his  advance  so  slow  that  murmurings  of  dissatisfac- 
tion came  from  the  ministry  in  England.  However, 
he  reached  the  Monongahela  in  July,  crossed  the 
river,  marched  down  its  banks,  and  recrossed  to  as- 
sault Fort  Du  Quesne.  His  army  was  marching  in 
brilliant  uniforms,  drums  beating,  flags  flying,  col- 
umns in  exact  order, — an  inspiring  sight  in  the  great 
forest,  shadowed  by  the  beautiful  foliage  of  splendid 
trees,  when  the  French  and  Indians,  who  had  silently 
sallied  forth,  opened  such  a  deadly  fire  from  ambush 
that  these  serried  columns  fell  into  inextricable  dis- 
order. The  demoralization  of  the  British  regulars 
was  beyond  control  of  their  brave  officers,  nearly  all 
of  whom  were  killed  or  wounded  in  their  desperate  ef- 
forts to  rally  the  disorganized  battalions. 

Washington,  although  two  horses  were  killed  under 
him  and  four  bullets  penetrated  his  coat,  escaped 
unhurt,  while  every  other  officer  on  horseback  was 
either  killed  or  wounded.  Braddock  had  three  horses 
killed  under  him  and  two  disabled.  About  five  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  while  in  the  act  of  giving  an  order, 
he  received  a  mortal  wound  and  fell  from  his  horse 
to  the  ground,  surrounded  by  the  dead  of  his  army. 

Virginia  provincial  soldiers  bore  him  off  the  field, 
and  on  Sunday,  July  13,  1755,  at  Great  Meadows, 
brave  Braddock  died,  and  next  morning  he  was  in- 
terred near  Fort  Necessity.  The  proud  British  gen- 
eral was  buried  with  the  honors  of  war,  and  as  the 


WASHINGTON,    THE    PATRIOT         41 

chaplain  was  wounded,  Washington  read  the  burial 
service  at  the  open  grave  of  as  courageous  a  soldier 
as  ever  led  a  king's  army. 

Washington's  great  gallantry  on  the  field  of  Mo- 
nongahela  and  his  tender  .conduct  towards  his  dying 
commander  greatly  enhanced  his  reputation ;  so 
through  this  sad  and  bloody  disaster  was  his  open 
road  to  fame. 

The  field  behind  was  left  strewn  with  dead  and 
wounded.  The  huzzas  of  the  French  soldiery  were 
mingled  with  the  terrible  war-whoop  of  the  savages ; 
plunder  and  murder  were  rife.  Twelve  British  regu- 
lars, naked,  their  faces  blackened,  their  hands  tied 
behind  them,  were  carried  by  a  band  of  Indians 
to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Ohio  River  and  burned 
to  death,  with  every  circumstance  of  studied  bru- 
tality and  inhuman  torture,  while  the  French  garri- 
son crowded  the  ramparts  of  Fort  Du  Quesne  to  wit- 
ness the  horrible  spectacle. 

Washington,  after  his  return,  went  to  Mount  Ver- 
non  to  recuperate  his  broken  health,  but  he  was  soon 
called  away  by  the  Assembly  of  Virginia  as  com- 
mander-in-ehief  of  all  the  forces  of  the  colony.  He 
had  been  importuned  by  friends  to  seek  this  place, 
but  his  modesty  and  pride  forbade.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  colonial  lawmakers,  fully  appreciating  his 
worth,  tendered  it  to  him,  the  office  sought  the  man 
most  eminently  qualified  for  a  position  surrounded 
by  innumerable  difficulties. 

After  Braddock's  disaster  Indian  depredations  on 
the  frontier  assumed  alarming  proportions,  and  the 
difficulty  of  suppressing  them,  not  being  appreci- 
ated, caused  much  criticism  of  the  commander-in- 


42        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

chief.  Washington's  extremely  sensitive  nature 
made  this  harder  to  bear  than  defeats  by  the  com- 
mon enemy.  However,  he  met  the  emergencies  with 
all  the  means  at  his  command,  and  directed  the  erec- 
tion of  forts  on  the  frontier  for  the  protection  of 
the  inhabitants.  He  had  also  been  much  annoyed  by 
the  piques  of  Dinwiddie;  but  happily  the  Governor's 
administration  ended  in  1758,  and  a  new  era  dawned 
for  the  British  army  in  America. 

Washington  was  assigned  to  the  lead  in  Forbes's 
expedition  against  Fort  Du  Quesne,  and  on  that 
march  he  saw  the  bones  of  those  brave  men  who  had 
been  massacred  in  the  defeats  of  Braddock  and 
Grant  scattered  about  the  battlefields,  whitening  in 
the  sun.  He  advanced  cautiously,  using  every  safe- 
guard against  surprise;  but  the  British  victories  in 
Canada  had  so  disheartened  the  French  that  the  gar- 
rison evacuated  Fort  Du  Quesne  the  day  before 
Washington  arrived  with  his  advance  guard,  and  he 
marched  in  and  planted  the  British  flag  on  the  ram- 
parts of  the  smoking  ruins,  on  November  25,  1758. 

The  British  forces  first  gathered  the  bones  of  their 
comrades  who  had  fallen  with  Braddock  and  Grant 
and  buried  them  in  one  common  grave.  Then  they 
reconstructed  the  fort,  renamed  it  Fort  Pitt,  in 
honor  of  the  illustrious  British  Minister,  and  garri- 
soned it  with  two  hundred  Virginians  from  Wash- 
ington's regiment. 

This  terminated  the  troubles  and  dangers  of  the 
frontier,  and  Washington's  career  as  a  British  sol- 
dier in  the  colonial  army  was  ended.  He  had  aspired 
to  attain  rank  in  the  regular  British  army,  but  he  now 
abandoned  all  hope,  gave  up  his  provincial  commis- 


WASHINGTON,    THE    PATRIOT         43 

sion  at  the  close  of  1758,  and  retired  from  the  serv- 
ice. He  had  fought  loyally,  faithfully,  and  bravely 
under  the  flag  of  the  British  crown,  and  left  its  ac- 
tive service  with  the  honor  of  a  patriot,  the  love  of 
his  fellow-soldiers,  and  the  gratitude  and  admira- 
tion of  his  fellow-countrymen.  He  had  a  deep  affec- 
tion for  Great  Britain,  its  laws,  its  customs,  its  man- 
ners, and  its  traditions.  His  ancestors  had  been 
loyal  to  the  crown  in  the  days  of  the  Lord  Protector, 
and  his  love  for  its  flag  had  been  strengthened  by 
the  strife  and  danger  he  had  experienced  under  its 
folds  in  the  battles  of  the  western  wilderness.  Now 
he  retired  when  its  victories  had  snatched  an  empire 
from  France  and  its  folds  spread  out  over  Canada 
and  all  the  great  Ohio  Valley  to  Louisiana.  Under 
the  British  flag  he  won  undying  fame,  and  that  which 
is  more  desirable  to  a  patriot's  heart — the  love  of 
the  people.  Perhaps  with  some  reluctance  he  again 
turned  from  military  life  to  the  peaceful  pursuits  at 
Mount  Vernon. 

The  years  passed  on,  and  the  encroachments  of 
the  crown  upon  constitutional  rights  stirred  the 
blood  of  the  colonials.  Washington  hoped  his  king 
would  let  justice  rule  in  his  colonies.  His  great  love 
for  his  country  made  him  realize  the  situation,  for, 
as  true  and  great  as  was  his  love  of  his  country  and 
its  flag,  he  loved  justice  and  equity  more.  When  the 
issue  came  he  turned  to  the  standard  of  his  country 
and  unsheathed  his  sword  for  the  liberty  and  inde- 
pendence of  America.  Under  the  British  flag  he  had 
fought  for  the  protection  of  frontier  homes ;  and 
now,  under  the  other  flag,  with  a  higher  patriotism, 
if  possible,  he  would  fight  for  liberty.  The  ever  fa- 


44        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

vorite  object  of  his  heart  was  the  benign  influence 
of  good  laws  under  a  free  government.  His  motives 
attained  the  highest  standard,  when  he  gave  up  the 
flag  he  first  loved  for  the  flag  of  the  rebels,  which 
had  such  weak  physical  support  as  might  seem  to 
invite  disaster  in  the  face  of  such  tremendous  odds 
in  soldiers  and  all  the  equipments  of  war.  He  was 
a  patriot  under  the  British  flag,  and  now  we  see  him 
a  patriot  under  the  new  standard. 

The  American  Congress  in  session  at  Philadel- 
phia on  June  15,  1775,  by  unanimous  vote,  given  by 
ballot,  elected  him  commander-in-chief  of  the  Army. 
He  accepted,  but  to  demonstrate  the  fact  that  no 
pecuniary  consideration  could  tempt  him,  he  de- 
clined all  pay  except  actual  expenses.  He  was  com- 
missioned on  June  20,  at  the  age  of  forty-three,  as- 
sumed command  of  the  army  at  Cambridge,  Mass., 
on  July  2,  and  at  once  bent  all  his  great  energies 
toward  perfecting  its  organization.  The  British 
and  Tories  were  very  bitter  in  their  denunciation  of 
the  colonists  who  had  been  in  the  English  service  and 
were  now  enlisted  under  the  flag  of  freedom ;  every 
indignity  was  heaped  upon  those  who  sympathized 
with  the  cause  of  independence,  and  those  they  made 
prisoners  were  thrown  in  jails  as  common  felons. 
Even  General  Gage,  Washington's  old  comrade  in 
arms,  who  commanded  the  British  troops  in  Boston, 
in  reply  to  a  polite  protest,  answered  with  insinuat- 
ing insults :  "  Britons,  ever  prominent  in  mercy, 
have  out-gone  common  examples,  and  overlooked  the 
criminal  in  the  captive.  Upon  these  principles  your 
prisoners,  whose  lives  by  the  law  of  the  land  are  des- 
tined to  the  cord,  have  been  treated  with  care  and 


WASHINGTON,    THE    PATRIOT         45 

kindness,  indiscriminately,  it  is  true,  for  I  acknowl- 
edge no  rank  that  is  not  derived  from  the  king." 

"  Rebel  "  and  "  hangman's  rope  "  were  bitter  and 
stinging  words,  but  they  were  answered  with  the 
temperate  dignity  of  the  great  commander.  These 
were  favorite  terms  of  the  bloodthirsty  fanatics  of 
the  North  during  the  Confederate  War,  which  is  still 
termed  a  "  rebellion,"  but  the  same  principles  which 
induced  Washington  to  fight  under  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  made  Robert  E.  Lee  fight  under  the  Southern 
Cross.  The  battle-flag  of  the  Confederacy  was  the 
emblem  of  justice  and  equity  to  those  who  followed 
its  fortunes  to  death  or  defeat. 

Washington  encountered  many  perplexities  at 
Cambridge,  but  the  one  sorest  of  all,  greater  than 
the  disasters  in  Canada,  or  the  after  defeats  in  New 
York  or  New  Jersey ;  greater  even  than  the  suffer- 
ings at  Valley  Forge,  was  the  lack  of  public  patriot- 
ism in  some  of  his  Northern  soldiers.  Their  merce- 
nary spirit  utterly  disgusted  him,  and  he  trembled 
at  the  prospect  before  him.  On  November  28,  1775, 
he  said :  "  Could  I  have  foreseen  what  I  have  expe- 
rienced and  am  likely  to  experience,  no  consideration 
upon  earth  should  have  induced  me  to  accept  this 
command." 

It  was  hard  for  an  officer  of  such  patriotism  to 
realize  that  any  soldier  could  be  governed  by  any 
other  consideration  than  that  of  honor.  I  shall  not 
attempt  to  follow  the  line  of  Washington's  military 
career  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes  or  from  the  Brit- 
ish evacuation  of  Boston  to  the  resignation  of  his 
commission  December  23,  1783,  at  Annapolis,  Md. 
Under  all  the  disasters,  defeats,  trials,  and  victories 


46        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

he  bore  himself  as  the  unyielding  hero  of  liberty. 
We  can  learn  from  Washington's  life  that  true  char- 
acter is  disclosed  in  disappointments  and  disasters, 
and  that  honor  is  the  priceless  jewel  of  a  patriot. 

As  a  statesman  he  was  as  true  to  honor  as  he  was 
to  his  country.  In  his  farewell  address  he  invokes 
cultivation  of  an  honest  and  enlightened  public  opin- 
ion. Honor,  morality,  and  religion,  he  says,  are  the 
bulwarks  of  free  government.  We  should  endeavor 
in  political  affairs  to  mold  public  opinion  by  his 
standard.  Let  the  office  seek  the  man,  and  make 
vote-beggars  and  vote-buyers  things  to  be  scorned 
by  liberty-loving  Americans. 

Washington  died  Saturday,  December  14,  1799, 
but  still  his  life  is  in  every  true  American  heart  which 
throbs  for  the  benign  influence  of  good  laws  under 
a  free  government. 


THE    WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA,    1775-'81 

[An  address  delivered  before  Fort  Nelson  Chapter,  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution,  January  8,  1897.] 

AN  invitation  to  address  the  Fort  Nelson  Chapter 
of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  is  a 
distinguished  honor  which  I  appreciate. 

The  aims  of  the  order  are  along  the  lines  of  the 
highest  human  endeavor — they  are  evidence  of  self- 
denying  character  and  beautiful  womanhood.  The 
idea  of  brotherhood,  over  the  crimson  ashes  of  the 
intersectional  war,  limited  only  by  the  boundaries 
of  the  Union,  comes  from  the  love  of  God's  Com- 
mandments. 

It  is  to  fix  the  hearts  of  Plymouth  Rock,  Manhat- 
tan, Jamestown,  and  Sullivan's  Islands  in  one  mold 
of  patriotism  as  true  and  firm  as  the  Colonial  sister- 
hood which  was  born  out  of  the  trials  of  British  op- 
pression and  cruelty. 

"  The  love  of  the  people  is  the  king's  life-guard," 
is  an  old  adage,  which  I  would  reclothe  for  this  new 
application. 

Woman's  patriotism  is  the  life-guard  of  the  state 
and  the  safeguard  of  the  American  Union. 

In  a  feeble  effort  to  encourage  your  noble  inspira- 
tions, I  ask  you  to  follow  me  for  a  short  time  along 
the  warpath  in  Virginia  from  the  fall  of  1775  to  the 
glorious  autumn  of  1781. 

When  Earl  Dunmore  abandoned  the  ancient  capi- 
tal of  the  Old  Dominion  and  took  refuge  on  a  British 

47 


48         THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

man-of-war,  royal  rule  ended  in  Virginia,  and  her 
sovereignty  reverted  to  the  will  of  the  people.  Dun- 
more's  conduct  excited  their  indignation  to  that  point 
of  determination  which  "  firmly  resolved  to  resist  all 
attempts  against  their  rights  and  privileges,  from 
whatever  quarter  they  might  be  assailed." 

Democracy  was  the  revealed  ideal  of  government 
in  the  Fredericksburg  address  which  appealed  to  God 
to  save  the  liberties  of  America. 

The  battle  of  Lexington  incited  the  patriotism  of 
Williamsburg  citizens  to  resolve  unanimously  to  sub- 
scribe money  for  the  aid  of  the  sister  colony — Mas- 
sachusetts— in  her  struggle  for  liberty.  From  April 
to  October,  1775,  the  clouds  of  war  were  gathering 
over  Virginia.  Then  the  outbreak  came  in  the  out- 
rage at  Norfolk  on  the  liberty  of  the  press.  Under 
cover  of  the  guns  of  the  men-of-war  in  the  harbor, 
a  British  officer  with  a  squad  of  soldiers  and  sailors 
landed  at  the  ferry  wharf  and  marched  to  the  print- 
ing office  of  the  fearless  patriot  editor,  Holt,  on 
Main  street,  from  whence  they  carried  off  the  type 
and  two  printers.  When  the  corporation  authorities 
remonstrated,  Dunmore  replied  that  he  had  rendered 
great  service  in  depriving  them  of  the  means  of  hav- 
ing their  minds  poisoned  and  of  exciting  in  them  the 
spirit  of  rebellion  and  sedition. 

On  October  15,  1775,  soon  after  this  episode,  a 
body  of  British  troops  was  dispatched  to  Kempsville, 
in  Princess  Anne  County,  where  they  destroyed  some 
firearms  which  had  been  deposited  there,  and  cap- 
tured Captain  Thomas  Matthews,  of  the  minute  men, 
the  first  patriot  prisoner  of  war  taken  on  the  soil  of 
Virginia. 


THE    WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA         49 

On  October  26  an  attack  was  made  on  Hampton. 
A  fierce  bombardment  was  opened,  and  under  cover 
of  the  cannonade  six  tenders  full  of  men,  commanded 
by  Captain  Squires,  rowed  into  Hampton  Creek  with 
the  purpose  of  sacking  and  burning  the  town,  but  a 
shower  of  bullets  from  the  Virginia  riflemen  stationed 
in  houses  and  in  the  bushes  along  the  creek  forced 
a  hasty  retreat  of  Squires'  forces.  At  the  next  sun- 
rise the  British  fleet  was  again  standing  in  for  the 
shore,  and  after  maneuvering  into  position  reopened 
a  furious  bombardment.  The  local  patriots  had 
been  reinforced  by  Woodford's  forces,  and  they 
made  it  impossible  for  men  to  live  at  the  helms  of  the 
incoming  vessels.  They  picked  off  the  sailors  aloft 
in  the  sails,  and  the  schooners  drifted  ashore,  while 
all  the  rest  slipped  cable  and  retreated  with  loss. 
Not  a  single  Virginian  was  killed.  Hampton  saw  the 
first  victory  in  Virginia  for  American  independence. 

On  November  7  Dunmore  proclaimed  martial  law, 
declaring  all  able  to  bear  arms  who  did  not  rally  to 
King  George's  standard  to  be  traitors,  and  offering 
freedom  to  the  slaves  of  rebels  who  would  join  his 
Majesty's  troops.  All  this  only  intensified  public 
irritation  and  increased  the  ardor  of  Virginians  in 
the  cause  of  freedom. 

On  November  16  Dunmore  invaded  Princess  Anne 
County  again,  surprising  and  defeating  the  militia 
who  were  on  their  march  to  join  the  patriot  troops 
for  the  defense  of  the  Tidewater  country. 

John  Akiss,  one  of  the  minute  men,  was  killed  on 
the  field,  and  Colonel  Hutchings  and  eight  others 
were  wounded  and  taken  prisoners.  So,  on  the  soil 
of  Princess  Anne  the  first  Virginia  soldier  gave  his 


50        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

life  for  the  independence  of  our  State.  Stirring 
events  were  now  at  the  culminating  point  in  Princess 
Anne  and  Norfolk  Counties.  The  British  were  for- 
tifying Norfolk  and  gathering  to  the  royal  banner 
all  the  Tories  and  all  the  negroes  who  could  be  se- 
duced from  their  masters.  These  were  armed  for 
incursions  into  the  country  to  destroy  commissaries 
collected  for  the  subsistence  of  the  Virginia  troops. 
Suffolk,  where  most  of  the  provisions  were  .in  store, 
was  the  objective  point  of  Dunmore's  designs.  Colo- 
nel Woodford,  anticipating  these,  dispatched  215 
light  troops  under  Colonel  Charles  Scott  and  Major 
Thomas  Marshall  to  that  place,  and  on  November  25 
the  gallant  Woodford  arrived  there  with  the  main 
body  of  the  Virginia  troops. 

Colonel  Scott  was  one  of  the  unique  characters  of 
the  American  Revolution.  He  was  born  in  Cumber- 
land County,  Virginia,  and  raised  the  first  company 
of  volunteers  south  of  the  James  River  which  en- 
tered into  actual  service.  He  was  promoted  until 
he  reached  the  grade  of  major-general,  and  received 
the  thanks  of  Congress  for  gallant  and  meritorious 
conduct.  Subsequently  he  was  Governor  of  Ken- 
tucky. While  Governor  he  announced  that  he  was 
going  to  Philadelphia  during  the  session  of  Congress 
to  visit  his  old  commander.  He  was  told  that  Wash- 
ington had  become  stuck  up  with  the  importance  of 
his  high  office,  and  was  too  much  of  an  aristocrat  to 
notice  him  in  his  hunting  shirt,  buckskin  leggins,  and 
long  beard.  Notwithstanding  this,  Scott  went,  and 
as  he  approached  the  house  Washington  and  his  wife, 
recognizing  the  old  hero,  both  rushed  out  and  each 
taking  him  by  the  arm  escorted  him  in.  Governor 


THE    WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA         51 

Scott  said  that  he  was  never  treated  better,  and  he 
found  Washington  "  Ole  Hoss  "  still.  The  soldiers' 
pet  name  for  Washington  was  "  Ole  Hoss." 

Lord  Dunmore  had  fortified  himself  on  the  Nor- 
folk side  of  the  southern  branch  of  the  Elizabeth 
River  at  Great  Bridge,  and  Colonel  Woodford 
marched  his  forces  from  Suffolk  to  within  cannon  shot 
of  the  works  on  the  south  side,  where  he  constructed 
a  formidable  breastwork.  On  December  9  Captain 
Fordyce  led  his  British  grenadiers  to  storm  these 
works,  only  to  receive  a  signal  repulse.  The  assault 
was  marked  by  great  gallantry  on  the  part  of  the 
British  soldiers,  and  brave  Fordyce  fell  within  fifteen 
steps  of  the  breastworks. 

Thirty-one  killed  and  wounded  were  left  on  the 
field,  and  it  was  estimated  that  a  greater  number 
were  borne  on  before  retreat.  This  victory  was 
gained  by  Woodford's  men  "  at  no  more  loss  than  a 
slight  wound  in  a  soldier's  hand."  The  British  has- 
tily retreated  to  Norfolk,  and  Dunmore,  fearing 
pursuit,  abandoned  his  entrenchments  there  and  em- 
barked his  troops  on  his  man-of-war  for  safety. 

On  the  night  of  December  14  the  victorious  Vir- 
ginians entered  Norfolk,  and  on  the  15th  Colonel 
Robert  Howe,  who  had  hastened  with  his  regiment 
of  brave  North  Carolinians  to  reinforce  Colonel 
Woodford,  assumed  command. 

Colonel  Woodford  issued  a  peaceful  proclamation 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Princess  Anne  and  Norfolk 
Counties,  and  consequently  many  resorted  to  his 
camp;  but  the  Tory  Virginians  taken  in  arms  were 
each  coupled  with  handcuffs  to  one  of  his  negro  fel- 
low-soldiers, as  a  stigma  on  his  traitorous  conduct. 


52        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

The  vigilance  of  the  Colonial  troops  kept  the  enemy 
close  to  their  ships,  preventing  foraging  in  the  coun- 
try, and  consequently  hunger  soon  invaded  the 
enemy's  army  afloat.  Dunmore  sent  a  flag  of  truce 
on  shore  to  notify  the  inhabitants  that  they  must 
furnish  provisions  for  his  troops  and  prevent  the 
minute  men  from  firing  upon  his  boats,  or  he  would 
bombard  the  town.  The  demand  was  refused,  and 
notice  was  given  the  patriots  that  he  would  drive 
them  out  with  his  great  guns  and  burn  the  houses 
situated  on  the  river. 

Between  three  and  four  o'clock  on  the  afternoon 
of  January  1,  1776,  the  frigate  Liverpool,  two  sloops 
of  war,  and  the  ship  Dunmore  opened  their  broad- 
sides against  the  town.  Under  cover  of  the  guns 
parties  of  sailors  and  marines  landed  and  set  fire  to 
the  houses  on  the  wharves.  The  wind  blew  from  the 
water  and  the  flames  spread  so  rapidly  that  all  the 
efforts  to  stop  their  progress  were  ineffectual.  The 
conflagration  raged  for  nearly  three  days,  and  its 
horrors  were  distressing.  The  great  clouds  of  smoke, 
the  thunder  of  the  cannon,  and  the  cracking  mus- 
ketry made  a  scene  of  indescribable  terror.  Every 
attempt  of  the  English  to  make  lodgment  on  shore 
was  met  at  the  landing  and  was  uniformly  repulsed. 
In  all  these  conflicts  the  Americans  lost  no  men,  and 
only  five  or  six  soldiers  were  wounded.  It  was,  how- 
ever, reported  that  some  women  and  children  were 
killed.  The  most  flourishing  and  richest  town  in 
Virginia  was  now  in  ashes. 

On  February  6  Colonel  Howe  abandoned  Norfolk 
and  stationed  his  troops  at  Kempsville,  Great  Bridge, 
and  Suffolk.  The  people  of  Suffolk  received  the  dis- 


*THE   WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA         53 

tressed  fugitives  from  Norfolk  with  unbounded  hos- 
pitality, and  every  building  was  crowded  with  the 
unfortunate  homeless  wanderers. 

Although  Dunmore  was  left  free  to  occupy  the 
ruins  of  Norfolk,  the  energy  of  the  American  troops 
prevented  him  from  obtaining  supplies  from  the 
country,  and  at  last,  pursued  by  hunger  and  disease, 
he  burned  his  quarters  on  shore,  re-embarked  his 
troops,  and,  leaving  Hampton  Roads  with  his  fleet 
on  June  1,  landed  and  erected  fortifications  on  Gwin's 
Island,  in  Matthews  County.  On  July  9  he  was  at- 
tacked by  the  Virginians  under  Brigadier-General 
Andrew  Lewis,  and  forced  to  abandon  that  island 
with  considerable  loss.  He  dispatched  a  part  of  his 
fleet  to  the  south,  and  sailed  to  the  north  with  the 
remainder,  thus  departing  forever  from  the  shores 
of  Virginia.  Only  one  man  was  lost  on  the  side  of 
the  patriots — Captain  Arundel — and  he  was  killed 
by  the  bursting  of  a  mortar  of  his  own  invention. 

The  London  Gazette  dated  Wednesday,  Septem- 
ber 18,  1776,  says :  "  On  the  10th  instant  the  Polly, 
Captain  Stewart,  arrived  at  Greenock  from  Virginia, 
by  whom  are  received  the  following  advices :  That 
the  Americans  had  raised  a  battery  opposite  to 
Gwin's  Island,  which  greatly  annoyed  the  fleet  under 
Lord  Dunmore,  and  obliged  the  little  army  to  em- 
bark and  the  shipping  to  move  off  with  seeming  pre- 
cipitation. 

"  It  is  said  that  the  battery  of  the  Americans  was 
aimed  particularly  at  the  quarterdeck  of  Lord  Dun- 
more's  ship,  and  that  his  lordship  received  two 
wounds,  one  in  the  face  and  another  in  the  leg;  sev- 
eral of  the  crew  are  said  to  be  killed  and  wounded. 


54        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

The  fleet  thus  driven  off  proceeded  to  Potomac  River, 
at  the  mouth  of  which  they  met  with  a  very  severe 
gale  of  wind,  which  drove  on  shore  several  small  ves- 
sels with  the  friends  of  the  government  on  board, 
who  were  taken  prisoners.  With  the  remnant,  Lord 
Dunmore  proceeded  to  George's  Island,  where  he 
landed  and  remained  several  days.  In  the  meantime 
the  Roebuck,  man-of-war,  with  transports,  went  up 
as  high  as  Dumfries  to  get  fresh  water.  They  were 
fired  upon  on  their  way  from  Colonel  Brent's  house 
in  Virginia,  upon  which  a  party  landed  and  burnt  it. 
During  the  absence  of  the  Roebuck,  the  Defiance,  an 
American  privateer,  with  four  tenders  full  of  men, 
came  in  sight  of  Lord  Dunmore's  fleet,  seemingly 
with  the  design  to  attack  the  Liverpool,  the  only 
man-of-war  there;  at  the  same  time  a  battery  was 
opened  against  her  from  the  shore,  but  fortunately 
the  Roebuck  coming  in  sight  at  a  critical  moment, 
the  Defiance  retired,  and  could  not  be  overtaken. 
The  fleet  suffering  greatly  for  want  of  fresh  water, 
and  a  contagious  distemper  having  broken  out  among 
both  the  whites  and  blacks,  out  of  1300  of  the  latter 
only  80  surviving,  his  lordship  determined  to  aban- 
don George's  Island ;  and  being  encumbered  with 
many  vessels  without  hands  or  tackling,  he  burnt 
several  to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
Americans,  and  ordered  that  part  of  the  fleet,  con- 
sisting of  forty  or  fifty  sail,  occupied  by  friends 
of  the  government,  to  proceed  under  convoy  of  the 
Otter  sloop  to  St.  Augustine,  to  which  place  they 
sailed  on  August  5,  his  lordship  remaining  in  Lyn- 
haven  Bay,  near  the  entry  to  Chesapeake,  on  board 
the  ship  Dunmore,  accompanied  by  the  Fowye  and 


THE    WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA         55 

Roebuck,  men-of-war,  three  transports,  three  victual- 
ers  and  two  hospital  ships.  From  hence  Dunmore 
sailed  to  New  York." 

Out  in  the  west  the  town  of  Wheeling  contained 
twenty-five  log  houses,  and  a  place  of  refuge  for  the 
inhabitants  when  threatened  by  savages  was  located 
down  by  the  mouth  of  Wheeling  Creek  and  named 
Fort  Henry  for  the  eloquent  Virginian  and  fiery 
tribune  of  freedom  in  the  east. 

The  war  policy  of  royalty  was  not  only  to  arm 
black  slaves  against  the  people,  but  to  incite  the  hor- 
rible butcheries  of  Indian  warfare,  which  considered 
quarter  neither  for  helpless  woman  nor  innocent 
childhood.  Hamilton,  the  British  Governor  at  De- 
troit, armed  between  four  and  five  hundred  Indians 
and  in  September,  1777,  dispatched  them  under  com- 
mand of  Simon  Girty  to  reduce  Fort  Henry.  Colo- 
nel Shepherd  commanded  the  garrison  of  forty-two 
men  all  told  when  their  approach  was  discovered. 
This  force  was  ultimately  reduced  to  twelve  from 
losses  sustained  by  sorties  which  were  made  in  at- 
tempts to  drive  off  the  savages  before  they  could 
surround  the  fort. 

The  annals  of  history  have  not  recorded  more 
thrilling  bravery  and  superb  heroism  than  marks 
the  conduct  of  the  forty-two  defenders  of  Fort 
Henry.  Twenty-six  were  killed  and  four  or  five 
wounded  during  the  siege ;  and  the  women  were  as 
heroic  and  brave  as  the  men,  inspiring  them  by  acts 
which  lifted  their  hopes  and  strengthened  their  arms 
to  desperate  resolution.  While  the  sanguinary  strife 
raged  the  women  molded  the  bullets  and  prepared 
the  cartridges  for  the  riflemen.  When  the  fate  of 


56        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

the  fort  seemed  under  the  very  shadow  of  the  toma- 
hawk, a  heroine,  whose  name  should  be  honored  as 
long  as  the  Star  Spangled  flag  inspires  the  senti- 
ment of  liberty  in  the  land  of  the  brave,  made  an  ex- 
ploit of  self-devotion  and  moral  intrepidity  not  ex- 
celled in  all  the  bloody  trials  of  human  experience. 
The  gunpowder  was  nearly  exhausted  and  the  only 
source  of  supply  was  a  keg  at  a  house  about  sixty 
yards  from  the  gate  outside  of  the  fort.  The  com- 
mandant called  for  a  volunteer  to  undertake  the 
perilous  task  of  procuring  the  keg  of  powder.  Three 
or  four  young  men  promptly  came  forward,  but 
Colonel  Shepherd  explained  that  only  one  could  be 
risked.  During  the  controversy  a  young  woman 
came  forward  and  requested  to  be  allowed  to  execute 
the  dangerous  mission.  It  appeared  so  extravagant 
that  it  met  with  prompt  refusal;  she,  however,  in- 
sisted against  the  remonstrances  of  the  colonel  and 
her  relatives,  who  told  her  that  either  of  the  young 
men  would  more  likely  be  successful  because  swifter 
and  more  accustomed  to  danger.  She  replied  that 
the  danger  of  the  enterprise  was  the  reason  which 
induced  her  to  offer  her  services,  for  the  gar- 
rison was  too  weak  to  lose  a  single  soldier's  life ; 
therefore  no  one  of  them  should  be  placed  in  need- 
less jeopardy,  and  that  if  she  were  killed  the  loss 
would  not  be  felt.  Her  request  was  ultimately 
granted  and  the  gate  opened  to  pass  her  out.  She 
rapidly  ran  over  the  open  space  to  the  house,  barely 
attracting  the  attention  of  the  savages,  but  when 
she  reappeared  from  the  house  with  the  keg  of  pow- 
der in  her  arms,  the  Indians  fired  a  volley  at  her  as 
she  swiftly  glided  towards  the  gate,  but  the  bullets 


THE    WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA         51 

flew  wide  of  the  mark  and  the  brave  girl  reached  the 
fort  safely  with  her  precious  prize,  saved  her  people, 
and  enabled  the  men  to  hold  the  post  until  Major 
McCulloch,  with  forty  mounted  men  from  Shore 
Creek,  came  to  the  relief  of  the  heroic  little  gar- 
rison. 

Elizabeth  Zane's  heroism  is  but  the  exemplification 
in  its  fullness  of  the  womanly  patriotism  which  in- 
spires the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  to  teach  the 
people  love  of  liberty  and  devotion  to  the  constella- 
tion of  stars  which  glitter  on  the  blue  field  of  the 
American  flag,  as  well  as  reverence  for  the  fathers 
whose  blood  purchased  the  independence  of  Ameri- 
can colonies. 

During  the  siege  of  Fort  Henry  the  blood-thirsty 
savages  ambushed  and  surprised  Captain  Foreman's 
command  in  Marshall  County,  about  four  miles  from 
the  village  of  Grave  Creek,  and  a  monument  on  the 
banks  of  the  Ohio  bears  the  following  inscription : 

"  This  humble  stone  is  erected  to  the  memory  of  Captain 
Foreman  and  twenty-one  of  his  men,  who  were  slain  by  a 
band  of  ruthless  savages — the  allies  of  a  civilized  nation 
of  Europe — on  the  25th  of  September,  1777." 

Earl  Dunmore's  departure  from  the  Chesapeake, 
with  the  exception  of  Indian  hostilities  in  the  west, 
left  Virginia  free  from  armed  enemies,  until  May 
9,  1777,  when  Sir  George  Collier's  fleet  from 
New  York  anchored  in  Hampton  Roads.  A  force 
from  his  fleet  under  command  of  General  Matthews 
landed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Western  Branch,  now 
the  site  of  Port  Norfolk,  to  advance  on  Portsmouth. 


58 


Fort  Nelson  was  garrisoned  by  about  150  men  under 
Major  Thomas  Matthews,  who,  finding  such  a  heavy 
force  on  his  flank,  withdrew  his  men  to  the  south 
before  the  British  could  get  in  his  rear.  The  British 
troops  occupied  Portsmouth  on  May  11,  and  from 
there  detachments  were  sent  to  occupy  Gosport, 
Norfolk,  and  Suffolk.  General  Matthews  burnt  Suf- 
folk, destroying  upward  of  one  hundred  vessels  at 
Gosport  and  Norfolk  and  all  the  military  and  naval 
stores  which  they  could  not  take  away  on  the  fleet. 
After  this  work  of  plunder  and  destruction  he  re- 
embarked  for  New  York. 

Brigadier-General  Leslie,  with  3000  troops  from 
New  York,  landed  at  Portsmouth  in  October,  1780, 
capturing  vessels  and  other  property,  but  soon  sailed 
to  join  Cornwallis  at  Charleston. 

On  December  30,  1780,  the  traitor  Arnold,  with 
fifty  vessels,  arrived  in  the  Chesapeake,  and  embark- 
ing in  smaller  vessels,  sailed  up  the  James  River,  and 
on  January  4,  1781,  landed  with  about  900  men  at 
Westover,  and  marched  to  Richmond  without  oppo- 
sition, where  he  plundered  stores  and  archives.  He 
sent  Lieutenant-Colonel  Simcoe  to  Westham,  where 
he  destroyed  the  only  cannon  foundry  in  the  State. 
He  spent  two  days  in  pillaging  Richmond,  and 
returned  to  Westover,  from  which  place,  on  Janu- 
ary 8,  he  dispatched  Lieutenant-Colonel  Simcoe,  with 
a  detachment  of  the  Queen's  Rangers,  to  Charles 
City  Court  House,  where  he  surprised  a  party  of 
Virginia  militia,  killed  one,  wounded  three,  and  took 
several  prisoners. 

On  January  10  Arnold  re-embarked  and  descended 
the  river.  He  landed  detachments  at  Mackay's  mill 


THE    WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA         59 

and  Smithfield  to  destroy  public  stores.  He  arrived 
at  Portsmouth  on  January  20,  where  he  located  his 
headquarters. 

Major-General  Phillips  reinforced  Arnold  while 
here,  and  the  united  commands  formed  a  body  of 
about  3500  men.  Leaving  a  garrison  of  1000  men 
at  Portsmouth,  General  Phillips  proceeded  up  the 
James  River  and  landed  opposite  Williamsburg, 
sending  a  detachment  to  destroy  stores  at  York- 
town. 

The  Virginia  Continentals  were  in  South  Carolina 
under  General  Greene  and  at  the  North  under  Wash- 
ington, and  Virginia  was  thus  left  in  a  defenseless 
condition.  She  had  in  service  in  the  Revolution 
twenty-one  regiments,  viz. :  Sixteen  on  the  conti- 
nental establishment,  three  regiments  of  the  State 
line  proper  and  two  western  regiments. 

Phillips  ascended  the  river  to  City  Point,  where  he 
landed  and  marched  on  Petersburg.  On  April  25, 
1781,  after  a  spirited  engagement  with  the  militia 
under  Baron  Steuben,  he  captured  the  city,  and  there 
remained  until  about  May  1,  when  he  evacuated 
Petersburg,  raided  Chesterfield  Court  House  and 
Manchester  for  pillage  and  destruction,  then  pro- 
ceeded down  the  James  River  to  Bermuda  Hundred, 
where  his  fleet  awaited  him,  and  there  re-embarked 
ostensibly  to  return  to  Portsmouth,  but  suddenly 
relanded  one  column  of  his  forces  at  City  Point  and 
one  at  Brandon  and  returned  to  Petersburg,  arriving 
there  late  at  night  on  May  9.  General  Phillips  was 
then  sick  with  bilious  fever  and  died  on  the  13th  and 
was  buried  at  Blanford.  Jefferson  said  of  him :  "  He 
is  the  proudest  man  of  the  proudest  nation  of  the 


60        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

earth."  The  command  devolved  upon  Arnold,  who 
awaited  the  arrival  of  Cornwallis  from  the  South, 
and  sent  Lieutenant-Colonel  Simcoe  with  the  Queen's 
Rangers  to  gain  information  of  him.  At  Hicksford, 
Simcoe's  command  captured  a  company  of  militia, 
which  he  decided  to  parole,  and  when  he  announced 
to  them  that  they  would  be  paroled,  one  in  great  ex- 
citement asked,  "  What  kind  of  death  is  thajt  ?  " 

On  May  20,  1781,  Lord  Cornwallis  entered  Peters- 
burg from  Wilmington,  N.  C.,  but  he  rested  there 
only  four  days,  when  he  proceeded  down  the  Appo- 
mattox  and  James  Rivers  to  Westover,  whence  he 
pursued  Lafayette  across  the  Chickahominy  River, 
endeavoring  to  bring  him  to  battle;  failing,  he  en- 
tered Richmond,  and  from  there  he  sent  expeditions 
to  the  interior  of  the  State.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Simcoe  drove  Baron  Steuben's  militia  from  Point  of 
Fork,  at  the  junction  of  the  Rivana  and  James 
Rivers,  and  destroyed  the  stores  there ;  while  Colonel 
Tarleton  advanced  on  Charlottesville  for  the  pur- 
pose of  capturing  Governor  Jefferson  and  the  legis- 
lators, who  were  there  in  session ;  but  they  were  noti- 
fied by  a  gentleman,  who,  with  a  fleet  horse  and  by 
a  short  road,  arrived  there  two  hours  in  advance 
of  Tarleton,  and  all  but  seven  escaped.  Thirty  thou- 
sand slaves  were  taken  from  Virginia  by  these  raids, 
of  which  27,000  were  said  to  have  died  of  smallpox, 
or  camp  fever.  The  whole  amount  of  property  car- 
ried off  and  destroyed  during  the  half  year  preced- 
ing Cornwallis'  surrender  was  estimated  at  fifteen 
millions  of  dollars. 

After  perpetrating  wanton  depredations,  the  raid- 


THE    WARPATH    IN    VIRGINIA         61 

ers  returned  to  Richmond,  and  resumed  their  march 
towards  the  coast.  CornwalhV  forces  arrived  at  Wil- 
liamsburg  on  June  25 ;  from  this  point  he  sent  Sim- 
coe  to  destroy  stores  at  Spencer's  Tavern,  where 
he  encountered  Colonel  Butler,  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
a  detachment  of  American  soldiers.  A  severe  conflict 
ensued,  and  both  sides  claimed  the  victory.  After 
remaining  nine  days  at  Williamsburg,  Cornwallis 
advanced  to  Jamestown  Island  July  4,  1781,  where 
an  attack  on  him  by  Lafayette  was  repulsed  with 
a  loss  of  118  to  the  Continentals  and  75  to  the 
British.  From  this  point  Cornwallis  proceeded  to 
Portsmouth,  where  he  remained  until  July  9,  and 
having  been  ordered  to  concentrate  his  forces  either 
at  Portsmouth  or  Yorktown,  he  decided  upon  the 
latter  place,  where  he  repaired  with  all  of  his  men. 
Washington  in  the  meantime  had  been  maturing 
plans  to  strike  a  blow  at  the  enemy  encamped  at 
Yorktown.  A  junction  of  all  his  regular  forces  in 
striking  distance,  amounting  to  about  12,000  men, 
was  made.  And  this  army,  with  the  aid  of  the  Vir- 
ginia militia  under  General  Nelson,  pressed  to  the 
siege  of  Yorktown,  assisted  by  Count  de  Grasse's 
fleet  on  the  eastern  waters. 

On  October  6  the  approaches  were  advanced  to 
within  600  yards  of  the  British  breastworks,  and  the 
work  of  bomb-shells  and  bullets  began,  continuing 
day  and  night  until  the  memorable  19th  of  October, 
when  Lord  Cornwallis  and  his  army  surrendered  to 
the  combined  forces  of  America  and  France,  and  the 
war  of  the  revolution  virtually  closed,  with  the  thir- 
teen American  colonies  free  and  independent  sov- 


6S        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

ereignties.     Yorktown  was  the  crowning  achievement 
of  Washington's  splendid  leadership. 

He  left  us  free:  thus  will  we  live  or  die! 

One  other  word,  Virginia,  hear  thy  son, 

Whose  filial  service  now  is  nearly  done — 

Hear  me,  old  State!    Thou  art  supremely  blest, 

Oh,  Mother!   If  the  ashes  of  a  king 

Could  nerve  to  deeds  with  which  Fame's  trumpets  ring, 

What  glove  of  challenger  shall  make  thee  start, 

When  thy  great  sun  lies  sleeping  on  thy  heart! 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON 

THE  lives  of  American  statesmen  gild  the  pages 
of  America's  history  as  the  setting  sun  tints  the 
clouds  of  the  western  sky,  and  sound  the  way  of  its 
progress  as  the  sailor's  lead  line  ripples  the  water 
where  the  moonbeams  silver  the  waves.  Some  states- 
men are  great  and  some  are  not ;  and  while  all  men 
are  in  some  respects  born  equal,  they  come  out  at 
the  end  of  life  with  emphatic  inequality.  How  few 
attain  to  greatness !  How  few  leave  an  impression 
deep  enough  to  bear  the  waste  of  time!  How  few 
live  in  the  chronicles  of  their  country !  Yet,  the  few 
statesmen  show  by  the  wisdom  of  their  works  the 
national  progress,  the  national  integrity,  the  public 
virtues.  Great  statesmen  are  to  the  state  as  the  cor- 
ner-stones, braces,  and  pillars  to  the  temple. 

One  hundred  and  sixty-five  years  ago  an  American 
statesman  was  born,  who,  during  a  long  and  useful 
career,  received  the  severest  criticism  and  more  vitu- 
perative abuse  than  any  of  his  illustrious  compeers, 
yet  to-day  is  looked  up  to  as  the  loving  father  of 
patriotic  political  action  and  classed  as  the  firmest 
corner-stone  of  the  temple  of  Liberty.  All  politi- 
cal parties  extol  his  virtues  and  term  him  the  ideal 
leader;  Democrats,  Republicans,  Populists  and  So- 
cialists— these  words  sound  the  keynote  of  the  action 
of  Jeffersonian  principles. 

Thomas  Jefferson  is  now  generally  acknowledged 
as  the  most  eminent  statesman  of  all  who  have  made 

63 


64        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

American  history.  He  demonstrated  that  the  pen 
is  mightier  than  the  sword,  for  with  one  stroke  he 
doubled  the  territory  of  the  infant  Republic  without 
spilling  a  drop  of  blood.  Napoleon  saw  his  own 
splendid  military  achievements  turn  to  ashes,  while 
Jefferson  beheld  the  fruit  of  his  pen  establish  a  solid 
foundation  for  the  greatest  Republic  of  the  world. 

Thomas  Jefferson  was  born  at  Shadwell  in  Albe- 
marle  County,  Virginia,  on  the  13th  day  of  April, 
1743,  and  educated  at  the  College  of  William  and 
Mary ;  studied  law  in  the  office  of  George  Wythe  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1767,  practicing  for  seven 
years,  when  he  relinquished  the  profession  to  devote 
his  time  to  statecraft.  He  lived  and  labored  in  an 
atmosphere  of  thrilling  events.  The  people  of  the 
•colonies  were  agitated  over  the  encroachments  of 
the  crown  upon  the  rights  guaranteed  by  the  great 
charter  of  English  liberty  when  he  was  elected  to  the 
House  of  Burgesses.  Washington,  Dabney  Carr, 
Richard  Henry  Lee,  and  Francis  Lightfoot  Lee  were 
among  his  colleagues. 

When  the  Grand  Assembly  met,  Jefferson  was  re- 
quested to  prepare  a  reply  to  the  address  of  the  Gov- 
ernor, Lord  Botetourt,  but  it  was  not  accepted  by 
the  Burgesses,  and  resolutions  from  another  hand, 
denouncing  taxation  without  representation  and  re- 
monstrating against  sending  accused  persons  away 
from  the  colony  for  trial,  among  other  things  dis- 
tasteful to  the  king,  were  adopted.  The  Governor 
stamped  his  disapproval  of  the  proceedings  by  dis- 
solving the  body,  and  Jefferson's  legislative  duties 
were  limited  to  three  days,  during  which  he  experi- 
enced the  mortification  of  seeing  his  first  state-paper 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  65 

consigned  to  the  waste  basket  by  his  friends.  He 
was  not  daunted  by  the  mandate  of  Botetourt,  nor 
was  he  disheartened  by  the  .criticism  of  his  fellow- 
members;  but  joined  that  self-appointed  committee 
of  arch  rebels  of  the  Revolution  which  met  in  a  room 
of  the  Raleigh  Tavern  at  Williamsburg  and  pro- 
posed a  general  congress  of  all  the  colonies,  at  Phil- 
adelphia. The  proposition  being  accepted,  it  was 
agreed  to  meet  on  September  5,  1774.  So  it  turned 
out  that  in  that  little  room  in  Raleigh  Tavern  was 
conceived  the  congress  of  colonial  statesmen  whose 
declaration  separated  the  American  colonies  from 
the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain. 

Jefferson  was  not  one  of  the  first  members  of  the 
first  congress.  He  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy 
occasioned  by  the  recall  of  Peyton  Randolph  to  pre- 
side over  the  House  of  Burgesses.  Jefferson  was 
thirty-two  years  of  age  when  he  took  his  seat,  on 
June  21,  1775,  and  the  great  John  Adams  said  the 
new  member  from  Virginia  was  welcomed,  "  as  he 
brought  with  him  a  reputation  for  literature,  sci- 
ence, and  a  happy  talent  for  composition. 
It  was  said  that  he  could  calculate  an  eclipse,  survey 
an  estate,  tie  an  artery,  plan  an  edifice,  try  a  case, 
break  a  horse,  dance  a  minuet,  and  play  a  violin." 
He  was  elected  to  prepare  a  reply  to  Lord  North's 
"  Conciliatory  Propositions,"  and  William  Wirt  says 
"  the  answer  stands  upon  the  records  of  the  country, 
cool,  calm,  close,  full  of  compressed  energy  and  keen 
sagacity,  while,  at  the  same  time,  it  preserves  the 
most  perfect  decorum.  It  is  one  of  the  most  nervous 
and  manly  productions  even  of  that  age  of  men." 

This  congress  adjourned  in  August,  but  Jefferson 


66        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

was  re-elected  and  returned  to  Philadelphia  in  Sep- 
tember, where  war  agitation  was  at  fever  heat  and 
active  preparations  were  in  progress.  The  Sove- 
reign Convention  of  Virginia  passed  resolutions  of 
independence  in  May,  1776,  and  June  7  Richard 
Henry  Lee  submitted  them  to  Congress,  and  moved 
a  formal  declaration  of  independence;  thereupon 
Jefferson,  Adams,  Franklin,  Roger  Sherman,  and 
R.  R.  Livingston  were  elected  by  ballot  to  submit 
a  form.  Jefferson  was  at  once  designated  to  draft 
the  paper.  After  completing  it,  he  submitted  it  to 
Adams  and  Franklin,  who  suggested  some  verbal 
changes  before  it  should  be  offered  in  Congress. 

When  it  came  up  before  Congress  it  was  criticised 
and  discussed  with  great  vigor,  but  John  Adams, 
whose  courage  and  patriotism  was  tested  when  he 
voted  for  George  Washington  for  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  American  Army  against  General  Ward 
from  his  own  State,  so  ably  defended  it  that  late  on 
Thursday  evening,  on  July  4,  1776,  it  was  passed; 
and  on  Monday  following,  Captain  John  Hopkins,  the 
commander  of  the  first  armed  brig  of  the  navy  of  the 
United  States,  read  it  publicly  from  a  stand  in  Inde- 
pendence Square. 

So  the  acclaim  was  passed  from  colony  to  colony 
until  the  people  from  Massachusetts  to  Georgia  sealed 
it  as  the  title-deed  of  liberty.  It  overshadowed 
Magna  Charta  granted  by  King  John  on  June  15, 
1215.  It  forced  King  George  III.  to  grant  a  greater 
and  higher  charter  of  liberty  than  ever  yielded  by 
human  scepter.  It  is  the  master  instrument  in  the 
literature  of  republican  constitutions,  the  highest 
inscription  on  the  shield  of  freedom  in  the  temple  of 


67 


liberty,  and  the  author  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde 
pendence  will  be  honored  as  long  as  popular  govern- 
ment exists. 

After  this  great  achievement  Thomas  Jefferson 
resigned  his  seat  in  Congress  to  become  a  member  of 
the  House  of  Delegates  of  Virginia.  Think  of  a 
Congressman  resigning  for  a  seat  in  the  legislature ! 
He  went  to  his  legislative  duties  on  October  7,  1776, 
and  began  the  work  of  adjusting  the  crown  laws  to 
conform  to  the  new  order  of  government. 

Jefferson  was  a  cultivated  and  high-born  gentle- 
man ;  his  accomplishments  in  science  and  literature 
were  recognized  by  the  most  learned  of  the  times ; 
but  his  bearing  was  entirely  devoid  of  haughtiness, 
and  his  official  demeanor  was  so  plain,  unassuming, 
and  unpretentious  that  Jeffersonian  simplicity  is  now 
a  favorite  term  in  the  vocabulary  of  politics.  His 
most  enthusiastic  efforts  were  for  giving  the  people 
equal  opportunity  to  elevate  their  station  in  life,  and 
he  was  the  friend  of  the  poor  man ;  he  always  endeav- 
ored to  advance  the  humble  and  lift  the  unlettered  to 
self-respecting  manhood.  He  despised  the  proud 
aristocracy  of  the  landed  estates  and  sought  to  make 
an  opening  for  the  aristocracy  of  virtue  and  talent, 
though  his  views  brought  upon  him  an  avalanche  of 
abuse  from  those  who  held  to  the  old  laws  of  England 
which  prevailed  in  the  State.  The  wealth  and  learn- 
ing of  the  Commonwealth  combated  his  innovations 
with  powerful  influence  and  seductive  arguments,  but 
he  stood  up  as  a  master  of  principle  and  held  its 
shield  against  all  the  arrows  of  hate  and  malice  which 
his  enemies  could  hurl. 

Three  days  after  Jefferson  entered  the  legislative 


68        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

hall  he  offered  a  bill  for  the  establishment  of  courts 
of  justice,  which  bill  was  subsequently  passed.  His 
next  bill  was  to  convert  estates  in  tail  into  fee-simple. 
The  general  reason  he  gave  for  this  was  "  to  annul 
this  privilege,  and  instead  of  an  aristocracy  of  wealth, 
of  more  harm  and  danger  than  benefit  to  society,  to 
make  an  opening  for  the  aristocracy  of  virtue  and 
talent,  (which  nature  has  wisely  provided  for  the  di- 
rection of  the  interests  of  society,  and  scattered  with 
an  equal  hand  through  all  its  conditions),  deemed 
essential  to  a  well-ordered  republic."  The  bill  was 
passed  after  a  desperate  fight.  Jefferson  conquered 
the  aristocracy  of  wealth  as  it  then  existed  in  Vir- 
ginia. 

Oh,  for  a  Jefferson  in  these  times,  when  we  have 
tyrants  of  wealth  in  the  coal  "  barons,"  wheat 
"  kings,"  and  meat  "  czars,"  who  can  freeze  or  starve 
the  people  by  an  edict  of  an  hour !  The  gambling 
mandates  of  these  imperial  plutocrats  bring  ruin  to 
men,  women,  and  children  which  should  shame  the 
soul  of  Herod  or  sicken  the  heart  of  a  Sherman,  who 
said  war  was  hell.  Rosebery  says :  "  A  plutocracy  is 
one  of  the  most  detestable  of  all  dominations." 

Jefferson  secured  the  passage  of  a  bill  abolishing 
primogeniture,  the  cognate  principle  of  entail,  which 
made  the  elder  son  heir  to  the  landed  estate  of  his 
father  as  the  elder  son  is  the  heir  to  the  throne  of 
England.  These  changes  in  the  tenure  and  holding 
of  land  were  the  great  levelers  which  gave  equal 
chance  for  energy,  talent,  and  virtue,  whether  in  the 
tobacco  roller,  backwoodsman,  or  in  the  gentleman  of 
genealogy.  Jefferson  helped  manhood  to  assert  itself, 
no  matter  in  what  class  or  condition  it  might  be  found. 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  69 

He  put  self  and  his  own  fortune  behind  him  to  help 
those  who  needed  justice  and  an  opportunity  to  un- 
fetter the  shackles  of  poverty.  His  very  soul  seemed 
to  be  imbued  with  the  idea  of  helping  others  who 
might  be  deserving. 

The  Church  of  England  was  established  in  Vir- 
ginia from  its  first  settlement  as  a  colony,  and  some 
of  the  ancient  laws  were  severely  exacting,  to  say  the 
least.  Every  person  who  refused  to  have  his  child 
baptized  by  a  lawful  minister  was  fined  two  thousand 
pounds  of  tobacco,  one-half  of  which  went  to  the 
parish  and  one-half  to  the  informer  (1662).  No 
marriage  was  valid  in  law  except  such  as  was  made 
by  the  minister,  according  to  the  laws  of  England, 
and  a  minister  could  not  marry  persons  without  a 
license  from  the  Governor  or  his  deputy,  or  thrice 
publication  of  bans,  according  to  the  rubric  in  the 
Common-Prayer  Book.  Any  minister  who  performed 
the  ceremony  contrary  to  law  incurred  a  fine  of  ten 
thousand  pounds  of  tobacco.  It  was  enacted  that 
the  Lord's  Day  should  be  kept  holy;  that  "  no  jour- 
neys be  made  on  that  day,  unless  upon  necessity ;  and 
all  persons  inhabiting  in  this  country,  having  no 
lawful  excuse,  shall  every  Sunday  resort  to  the  parish 
church  or  chapel,  and  there  abide  orderly  during 
the  common  prayer,  preaching,  and  divine  service, 
upon  penalty  of  being  fined  fifty  pounds  of  tobacco 
by  the  county  court."  Officers  on  qualifying  swore 
that  they  would  be  conformable  to  the  doctrines  and 
discipline  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  inhabited 
parts  of  the  colony  of  Virginia  were  laid  off  into 
parishes,  in  each  of  which  was  a  minister,  who  had 
a  fixed  salary  in  tobacco,  together  with  a  glebe  and  a 


70        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

parsonage,  and  there  was  a  general  assessment  on 
all  of  the  inhabitants  to  meet  the  expenses. 

Other  sects  sprung  up,  and  this  assessment  was  a 
grievous  tyranny  upon  them  during  the  regal  gov- 
ernment, a  tyranny  without  hope  of  relief.  Now, 
however,  Jefferson  drafted  and  supported  a  bill  for 
the  relief  of  dissenters,  which  he  said  brought  on  the 
severest  contest  in  which  he  was  ever  engaged.  The 
advocates  of  religious  freedom  finally  prevailed,  and 
after  five  suspending  acts  the  laws  for  the  support 
of  the  clergy  were,  at  the  second  session  of  1779,  un- 
conditionally repealed.  And  all  religious  sects  do 
honor  to  the  memory  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  author 
of  the  statute  for  religious  freedom  in  Virginia. 

Jefferson  was  a  great  leader  of  men.  He  said: 
"  Men  are  divided  into  two  parties  by  their  constitu- 
tions, those  who  fear  and  distrust  the  people  and 
wish  to  draw  all  powers  from  them  into  the  hands  of 
a  higher  class ;  and  second,  those  who  identify  them- 
selves with  the  people,  have  confidence  in  them,  cher- 
ish and  consider  them  as  the  most  honest  and  safe, 
although  not  the  most  wise  depository  of  the  public 
interest." 

I  take  issue  with  this.  I  think  the  people  are  not 
only  the  most  honest  and  safe,  but  the  most  wise  de- 
pository of  the  public  interest,  when  they  think  and 
deliberate  upon  the  issues  in  a  patriotic  spirit.  The 
greatest  evil  in  republican  institutions  is  the  poison 
which  selfish  demagogues  inject  into  the  minds  of  the 
people,  inducing  them  to  act  and  vote  without  care- 
ful and  honest  investigation — a  duty  which  every 
person  owes  to  the  community  before  he  deposits  his 
ballot  in  the  ballot-box.  When  the  people  are  aroused 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  71 

and  agitated  over  a  question  at  issue  they  will  decide 
with  wisdom  and  patriotism,  if  left  to  their  own  un- 
biased judgment.  The  downfall  of  the  plutocracy 
which  now  threatens  the  happiness  of  our  country 
will  come  when  the  wrath  of  the  people  is  fully  stirred 
by  its  shameless  oppressions.  A  fearless  and  incor- 
ruptible statesman  like  Jefferson  will  arise  to  lead 
the  suffragans  against  the  plutocrats,  whom  they 
will  rout  by  sweeping  from  the  halls  of  legislation 
the  demagogues  and  hirelings  in  purifying  the  law- 
making  departments  of  the  government. 

Jefferson  was  a  partisan  of  the  people,  and  they 
entrusted  to  him  the  highest  honors  under  their  gov- 
ernment. He  was  in  public  life  sixty-one  years,  and 
actually  in  office  thirty-nine  years.  He  was  elected 
to  the  House  of  Burgesses  in  1769,  when  he  was 
twenty-six  years  old,  and  served  continuously  until 
1775,  when  he  was  elected  to  Congress.  At  the  same 
time  he  was  a  member  of  the  Virginia  legislature 
until  1779,  when  he  became  Governor  and  served  two 
years.  In  1781,  and  again  in  1783,  he  was  elected 
to  Congress.  In  1784  he  was  sent  as  Minister  to 
France,  and  returned  in  1789  to  become  Secretary 
of  State  in  the  cabinet  of  President  Washington, 
which  office  he  resigned  in  1793.  While  in  Wash- 
ington's cabinet  a  bitter  feud  sprung  up  between 
him  and  Alexander  Hamilton,  which  grew  out  of  di- 
vergent political  opinions.  Notwithstanding,  when 
the  great  contest  for  the  Presidency  between  Jeffer- 
son and  Aaron  Burr  occurred,  Hamilton  threw  the 
weight  of  his  great  influence  for  his  bitterest  enemy 
rather  than  for  Burr,  and  in  this  was  the  loftiest  act 
of  Hamilton's  great  patriotism.  Jefferson  was  elected 


72        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

Vice-President  in  November,  1796;  elected  President 
in  1801,  and  re-elected  in  1804. 

The  question  of  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  had  been  for  a  long  time  a  source  of 
great  annoyance ;  at  one  time  it  even  threatened  war. 
The  Mississippi,  including  the  Missouri,  from  source 
to  the  Gulf,  is  4100  miles,  the  longest  river  in  the 
world.  What  a  wonder  is  this  majestic  stream!  This 
great  river  with  fifty-five  tributaries  is  navigable  for 
steamboats  16,500  miles,  and  drains  that  vast  ex- 
panse of  territory  between  the  Alleghany  and  Rocky 
Mountains  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  control  of 
this  river  was  of  vital  importance  to  the  United 
States,  and  the  people  appreciated  the  situation,  and 
were  ready  to  hazard  war.  Jefferson's  policy  was 
thought  by  many  to  be  weak  and  even  cowardly ;  but 
he  knew  the  value  of  peace  to  the  infant  republic  at 
this  time,  and  showed  great  moral  courage  and 
strength  of  character  in  steadfastly  maintaining  a 
peaceful  attitude.  Napoleon  gave  the  opportunity 
for  a  peaceful  solution,  and  Jefferson  grasped  it  with 
prophetic  foresight.  He  signed  the  Louisiana  Treaty 
on  May  2,  1803,  and  thus  consummated  the  purchase, 
for  fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  of  the  great  West- 
Mississippi  territory  out  of  which  has  been  carved 
Arkansas,  Colorado,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Louisiana,  Minne- 
sota, Montana,  Nebraska,  North  Dakota,  South 
Dakota,  Wyoming,  the  Indian  Territory  and  Okla- 
homa, embracing  a  million  square  miles. 

The  Louisiana  Purchase  is  a  domain  with  great 
natural  resources,  inhabited  by  fifteen  millions  of 
sturdy  and  thrifty  English-speaking  people.  From 
its  hills  came  shining  silver  to  make  fields  from 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  73 

forests ;  from  its  river  beds,  glittering  gold  to  gladden 
the  hearts  of  the  settlers  whose  labor  made  arid 
deserts  rejoice  and  blossom  as  a  rose.  The  fruition 
of  this  first  expansion  has  been  marvelous,  and  the 
hope  for  its  future  is  boundless.  This  A.  D.  1903  is 
the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  its  acquisition ;  let 
all  the  nation  rejoice  in  its  great  achievements;  let 
all  the  country  give  thanks  to  the  Almighty  Ruler 
for  its  wondrous  wealth;  let  the  voice  of  the  people 
be  raised  in  praise  of  Thomas  Jefferson ;  let  this  be 
the  jubilee  year  of  the  American  Republic! 

The  great  Napoleon  said,  when  he  signed  the 
treaty :  "  This  accession  of  territory  assures  forever 
the  power  of  the  United  States,  and  I  have  given 
England  a  rival  who,  sooner  or  later,  will  humble  her 
pride."  His  action  was  opposed  by  his  ministers, 
but  he  argued :  "  To  free  the  world  from  the  com- 
mercial tyranny  of  England  it  is  necessary  to  oppose 
to  her  a  maritime  power  which  will  one  day  become 
her  rival.  It  must  be  the  United  States.  The 
English  aspire  to  dispose  of  all  the  riches  of  the 
world.  I  shall  be  useful  to  the  entire  universe,  if  I 
can  prevent  them  from  dominating  America  as  they 
dominate  Asia."  In  this  transaction  he  declared 
himself,  for  the  first  time,  independent  of  his  family, 
of  his  parliament,  and  of  most  of  his  advisers,  and 
grasped  the  imperial  scepter,  of  which  a  few  months 
later  he  was  in  full  possession.  This  was  Napoleon's 
first  edict  as  an  Emperor. 

Envoy  R.  R.  Livingston,  in  expressing  his  satis- 
faction, said :  "  The  treaty  we  have  signed  has  not 
been  brought  about  by  finesse  nor  dictated  by  force. 
Equally  advantageous  to  both  the  contracting 


74        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

parties,  it  will  change  vast  solitudes  into  a  flourishing 
country.  Moreover,  if  wars  are  inevitable,  France 
will  have  in  the  New  World  a  friend  increasing  year 
by  year  in  power,  which  cannot  fail  to  become 
puissant  and  respected  on  all  the  seas  of  the  earth. 
These  treaties  will  become  a  guarantee  of  peace  and 
good-will  between  commercial  States.  It  will  prepare 
centuries  of  happiness  for  innumerable  generations 
of  the  human  race.  The  Mississippi  and  the  Missouri 
will  see  them  prosper  and  increase  in  the  midst  of 
equality,  under  just  laws,  freed  from  the  errors  of 
superstition,  from  the  scourges  of  bad  government, 
and  truly  worthy  of  the  regard  and  the  care  of 
Providence." 

Although  there  was  violent  opposition  in  this 
country  to  ratifying  this  treaty,  Jefferson's  skill  as 
a  politician  and  his  broad  statemanship  overcame  all 
difficulties.  It  was  a  great  triumph  for  him,  and  it 
was  the  beginning  of  territorial  expansion.  Since, 
there  have  been  eleven  other  additions  to  the  territory 
of  the  United  States,  all  making  an  area  of  about 
five  times  that  of  the  original  thirteen  States  and,  as 
predicted,  the  nation  now  stands  in  the  front  rank  of 
the  powers  of  the  world.  As  a  maritime  power  it  is 
about  equal  to  any  save  England,  and  although  our 
navy  is  out-weighed  in  tonnage  and  guns  by  hers, 
our  expansion  from  Porto  Rico  to  the  Orient  has 
made  it  necessary  for  us  not  only  to  rival  the  navy 
of  England,  but  to  stand  up  against  the  allied  powers 
of  Europe. 

Jefferson  always  gave  his  occupation  as  that  of  a 
farmer.  He  was  passionately  fond  of  country  life, 
and  talked  much  about  retirement  from  politics  and 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  75 

the  enjoyment  of  the  tranquillity  of  the  farm  and 
communion  with  nature.  He  believed  the  cultivators 
of  the  soil  made  the  best  citizens — the  most  vigorous, 
the  most  virtuous,  and  the  most  independent.  "  They 
are  tied  to  their  country,  and  wedded  to  its  liberty 
and  interests  by  the  most  lasting  bonds."  He  believed 
in  an  agricultural  republic  as  the  safest  repository 
of  liberty.  He  was  a  firm  friend  of  popular  govern- 
ment, and  public  education  as  a  basis  for  a  firm  and 
stable  foundation  of  good  government.  Abolition 
of  entail  and  primogeniture  placed  the  people  on  an 
equal  footing  so  far  as  the  acquirement  of  property 
was  concerned;  the  disestablishment  of  the  church 
secured  for  them  liberty  of  conscience;  but  public 
education  was  the  mainspring  for  the  enthronement 
of  that  aristocracy  of  virtue  and  talent  with  which  he 
desired  to  supplant  the  landed  lords  of  the  royal 
colony.  He  was  the  father  of  the  first  general  law  for 
public  schools,  but  the  prevailing  sentiment  among  the 
magistrates,  who  were  to  put  it  in  force,  was  so 
much  against  it,  that  the  law  became  a  dead  letter, 
and  not  until  many  years  after  his  death  did  the  full 
fruition  of  his  ideas  come.  I  may  say  even  yet  they 
have  not  fully  ripened  into  that  state  which  insures 
a  wise,  just  and  pure  government. 

He  believed  the  schoolhouse  was  the  fountain-head 
of  happiness,  prosperity,  and  good  government,  and 
education  was  "  a  holy  cause."  "  First,  to  give  to 
every  citizen  the  information  he  needs  for  the  trans- 
action of  his  own  business ;  second,  to  enable  him  to 
calculate  for  himself,  and  to  express  and  preserve  his 
ideas,  his  contracts  and  accounts,  in  writing;  third, 
to  improve,  by  reading,  his  morals  and  faculties; 


76        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

fourth,  to  understand  his  duties  to  his  neighbors  and 
country,  and  to  discharge  with  competence  the  func- 
tions confided  to  him  by  either;  fifth,  to  know  his 
rights;  to  exercise  with  order  and  justice  those  he 
retains,  to  choose  with  discretion  the  fiduciary  of  those 
he  delegates ;  and  to  notice  their  conduct  with  dili- 
gence, with  candor  and  judgment;  sixth,  and,  in 
general,  to  observe  with  intelligence  and  faithfulness 
all  the  social  relations  under  which  he  shall  be 
placed." 

He  prepared  a  comprehensive  educational  plan  for 
the  State  of  Virginia.  It  provided  first  for  ele- 
mentary schools  in  every  county,  which  placed  every 
householder  within  three  miles  of  a  school ;  district 
schools,  which  would  place  every  father  within  a  day's 
ride  of  a  college  where  he  might  dispose  of  his  son ; 
a  university  in  a  healthy  and  central  situation.  "  In 
the  elementary  schools  will  be  taught  reading,  writing, 
common  arithmetic,  and  general  notions  of  geog- 
raphy. In  the  second,  ancient  and  modern  languages, 
etc.,  mensuration,  and  the  elementary  principles  of 
navigation,  and  in  the  third,  all  the  useful  sciences 
in  their  highest  degree."  He  laid  off  every  county 
into  districts  five  or  six  miles  square,  called  "  hun- 
dreds," the  teacher  to  be  supported  by  the  people 
within  that  limit ;  every  family  to  send  their  children 
free  for  three  years,  and  as  much  longer  as  they 
pleased,  provided  they  paid  for  it ;  these  schools  to 
be  under  the  charge  of  "  a  visitor,"  who  was  annually 
to  select  the  boy  of  best  genius  in  the  school,  whose 
parents  were  too  poor  to  give  him  an  education,  and 
send  him  to  a  grammar  school,  of  which  twenty  were 
to  be  erected  in  different  parts  of  Virginia ;  and  of  the 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  77 

boys  in  each  grammar  school  the  best  was  to  be 
selected  to  be  sent  to  the  university  free.  It  is  said 
that  he  was  elected  and  re-elected  to  the  Legislature 
for  twenty  years,  chiefly  to  champion  his  three  great 
ideas — popular  education,  free  local  schools,  and  a 
State  University. 

Jefferson's  purpose  in  founding  the  university  is 
shown  by  his  classification  of  the  objects  of  higher 
education : 

"  1.  To  form  the  statesmen,  legislators,  and 
judges  on  whom  public  prosperity  and  individual 
happiness  are  so  much  to  depend; 

"  2.  To  expound  the  principles  and  structure 
of  government,  the  laws  which  regulate  the  inter- 
course of  nations,  those  formed  municipally  for  our 
own  government,  and  a  sound  spirit  of  legislation, 
which,  banishing  all  unnecessary  restraint  on  indi- 
vidual action,  shall  leave  us  free  to  do  whatever  does 
not  violate  the  equal  rights  of  another ; 

"  3.  To  harmonize  and  promote  the  interests  of 
agriculture,  manufactures,  and  commerce,  and  by 
well-informed  views  of  political  economy  to  give  a 
free  scope  to  the  public  industry ; 

"  4.  To  develop  the  reasoning  faculties  of  our 
youth,  enlarge  their  minds,  cultivate  their  morals, 
and  instill  into  them  the  precepts  of  virtue  and 
order ; 

"  5.  To  enlighten  them  with  mathematical  and 
physical  sciences,  which  advance  the  arts  and  ad- 
minister to  the  health,  the  subsistence,  and  comforts 
of  human  life; 

"  6.  And,  generally,  to  form  them  to  habits  of 
reflection  and  correct  action,  rendering  them  examples 


78         THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

of  virtue  to  others,  and  of  happiness  within  them- 
selves." 

One  of  his  biographers  says:  "Jefferson  con- 
sidered the  University  of  Virginia  the  greatest 
triumph  and  the  proudest  achievement  of  his  life, 
and  measured  its  influence  upon  the  generations  that 
were  to  come  after  him  as  more  important  and 
effective  for  good  than  any  other  that  might  arise 
from  all  of  his  public  services.  The  institution  was 
the  dream  of  his  youth,  and  throughout  his  busy  life, 
filled  with  cares,  responsibilities,  and  labor,  his 
fidelity  to  the  idea  kept  his  mind  always  ready  to 
grasp  and  utilize  any  opportunity  which  might  pro- 
mote its  fulfilment.  His  desire  was  accomplished 
after  a  long  struggle  and  the  exercise  of  remarkable 
patience  and  perseverance.  He  met  with  stubborn 
opposition  from  the  very  people  it  was  intended  to 
benefit,  and  although  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  has 
made  reasonable  grants  of  aid  from  time  to  time, 
the  institution  has  been  kept  alive  and  its  influence 
extended  by  the  generosity  of  people  outside  of  the 
State."  It  is  a  shame  to  Virginia  that  this  great- 
est gift  of  her  greatest  statesman  should  have  to 
struggle  for  existence  at  this  time. 

Jefferson  held  in  his  mind  an  ideal  government  for 
all  the  citizens  of  his  country,  placing  all  on  an 
equality  as  to  the  acquirement  of  property  and  giving 
all  equal  opportunity  to  cultivate  the  natural  gifts 
with  which  God  had  endowed  them.  The  first  general 
opportunity  was  based  on  the  free  schools ;  the  next, 
on  the  university ;  and,  embracing  the  idea  which 
made  the  heathen  dedicate  the  temple  of  the  Pantheon 
at  Rome  to  all  the  gods,  he  conceived  a  non-sectarian 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  79 

institution,  consonant  with  religious  liberty.  He 
enforced  the  idea  by  a  like  design  in  architecture 
for  the  high  seat  of  learning,  centrally  located  on  a 
beautiful  plat  of  land,  as  the  capital  of  the  public 
schools. 

What  love  for  humanity !  What  affection  for  the 
people,  clung  deep  and  fast  in  the  heart  of  Thomas 
Jefferson !  It  was  the  self-sacrifice  of  enlightened 
manhood;  it  was  man's  humanity  to  man  falling  like 
the  showers  of  spring  on  the  fields  of  rich  and  poor 
alike ;  it  was  the  sacred  spirit  which  stirs  the  ambition 
of  man  to  labor  for  the  victory  which  his  Creator 
placed  for  his  goal !  Highest  aim  of  man !  I  appeal 
to  Virginians ;  I  call  upon  all  the  voters ;  I  invoke  all 
the  people  to  let  their  spirits  flame  for  the  ideal 
university  of  Jefferson !  Not  for  yourselves,  not  for 
a  memorial  of  my  hero,  but  for  right,  pay  the  debt 
you  owe  to  future  generations  by  making  for  them 
the  opportunity  for  a  higher  life ;  for  a  station  in 
the  ranks  of  that  aristocracy  of  virtue  and  talent 
which  God  says  they  may  claim,  and  Jefferson  urged, 
to  uphold  a  just  government  by  the  people! 

Yonder  in  grand  old  Albemarle  County,  abound- 
ing in  fair  landscapes  and  majestic  scenery,  is  located 
the  University  of  Virginia,  potent  in  architectural 
beauty  and  embracing  all  that  Jefferson  desired  in 
material  development  and  appliances — but  lacking 
in  means  to  give  it  broad  and  lasting  life.  It  needs 
an  endowment  to  make  it  fulfill  the  purpose  of  its 
founder.  Are  we  never  again  to  have  statesmen  in 
the  legislature  like  Jefferson  to  husband  the  public 
revenues  and  economize  public  expenses  so  as  to  endow 
its  university  on  an  ever  living  basis? 


80        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

Virginia  cannot  afford  to  have  her  highest  seat  of 
learning  languish  for  want  of  money.  Jefferson  said 
over  one  hundred  years  ago  that  free  schools  are  an 
essential  part — one  of  the  columns  of  the  republican 
edifice,  and  that  without  such  instruction  free  to  all 
the  sacred  flame  of  liberty  cannot  be  kept  burning  in 
the  hearts  of  Americans.  The  university  is  the  cap- 
stone of  our  public  schools,  and  should  be  kept 
burnished  as  of  gold  and  held  firmly  in  place  by  the 
strong  arms  of  the  whole  people.  Count  what  the 
institution  has  already  accomplished.  It  has  had 
more  graduates  in  the  Senate  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives than  any  other  institution  in  the  'Country ; 
more  than  Yale  or  Harvard  or  Princeton,  the  greatest 
institutions  of  the  wealthy  North.  Over  four  hun- 
dred of  its  alumni  sleep  in  soldiers'  graves  on  the 
battlefields  of  the  South.  What  a  mighty  record  in 
statesmanship  and  chivalry !  What  a  glorius  Virginia ! 

As  Jefferson  believed  '  in  free  government  and 
freedom  of  religious  thought,  so  he  believed  in  free 
choice  in  the  direction  of  educational  achievement 
and  gave  the  student  at  the  university  freedom  in  the 
choice  of  lectures  he  should  attend;  thereafter  he 
was  treated  as  a  man  of  honor.  All  examinations  are 
conducted  on  the  honor  system,  and  it  rarely  occurs 
that  students  prove  unworthy  of  confidence.  It 
excites  in  them  a  reverence  for  the  highest  standard 
of  manliness,  which  has  great  influence  upon  their 
conduct  at  college  and  in  their  intercourse  with  men 
in  after  life.  There  is  no  espionage  either  within  or 
without  the  classroom ;  perfect  probity  is  conceded  to 
every  man,  and  his  statement  on  any  subject  whatever 
is  received  without  the  attestation  of  an  oath. 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  81 

Examinations  are  free  from  surveillance,  and  when 
the  papers  are  handed  in  the  student  indorses  over 
his  signature  that  he  has  neither  received  nor  given 
assistance,  and  this  pledges  goes  unquestioned.  There 
are  a  few  instances  on  the  records  of  the  university 
where  men  have  abused  this  confidence  and  blackened 
their  good  names  by  dishonesty  in  examinations,  and 
the  punishment  has  been  swift  and  effective.  No 
meeting  of  the  faculty  was  necessary  in  any  of  the 
cases ;  official  action  was  forestalled  by  the  voluntary 
action  of  the  students,  for  the  offense  was  not  only 
against  the  regulations  of  the  university,  but  a  crime 
against  the  honor  of  the  student  body,  which  they 
avenged  in  a  quiet  but  effective  manner.  The  offender 
is  informed  that  a  man  guilty  of  such  perfidy  cannot 
remain  as  their  associate,  and  in  all  cases  on  record 
he  has  not  failed  to  leave  on  the  next  train.  A  clean 
character  and  honorable  life  is  thus  firmly  planted 
in  the  bloom  of  manhood  to  beautify  and  enrich  what- 
ever course  may  fall  to  his  lot.  "  Godlike,  erect,  with 
honor  clad,"  man  adorns  his  life,  his  kinsman,  his 
country !  Our  university  stands  in  a  beautiful  and 
picturesque  natural  location,  with  imposing  archi- 
tectural effects,  a  curriculum  which  embraces  all 
branches  of  human  knowledge,  and  a  code  of  laws 
which  recognizes  that  young  men  as  well  as  old  men 
are  capable  of  self-government  and  are  controlled  by 
the  instincts  of  honor.  The  University  of  Virginia 
is  a  little  republic  where  self-government  prevails 
and  personal  honor  is  sacred,  and  this  was  the  greatest 
work  of  the  greatest  statesman  America  ever 
produced. 

Jefferson  declared  that  "  the  true  theory  of  our 


82        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

Constitution  is  surely  the  wisest  and  best ;  that  the 
States  are  independent  as  to  everything  within  them- 
selves, and  united  as  to  everything  respecting  foreign 
nations."  He  was  pre-eminently  a  man  of  peace,  "  the 
most  successful  war  seldom  pays  for  its  losses,"  he 
said.  He  was  a  benefactor  in  many  ways ;  he  invented 
a  plow  for  which  he  received  many  medals ;  a  folding 
seat ;  a  revolving  chair ;  a  copying  press ;  the  coinage 
system,  and  recommended  the  mint  at  Philadelphia. 
He  tendered  Congress  Virginia's  deed  ceding  the 
Northwest  Territory  to  the  United  States,  and  pre- 
pared the  plan  of  government  for  that  region ;  he 
imported  the  first  full-blooded  Merino  sheep  and 
Calcutta  hogs,  and  he  introduced  a  new  kind  of  rice 
for  South  Carolina. 

Although  he  owned  over  one  hundred  slaves,  he 
favored  their  freedom,  not  like  that  which  came 
years  ago,  in  the  thunders  of  war,  like  the  booty 
of  a  burglar's  pistol;  but  gradual  and  peaceful 
freedom  and  to  the  end  of  colonizing  the  freedmen 
under  the  protection  of  the  United  States.  He  be- 
lieved "  that  two  races,  equally  free,  cannot  live  in  the 
same  government  "  ;  that  it  would  produce  convulsions 
ending  in  the  extermination  of  the  one  or  the  other 
race.  The  trial  is  on  now,  and  I  hope  mutual  for- 
bearance and  reason  will  solve  the  problem  to  the 
credit  and  honor  of  both  races.  I  believe  our  new 
constitution  will  effectually  solve  it  in  Virginia.  The 
suffrage  clause  is  the  great  safeguard  for  the  people. 

Jefferson  favored  restricted  suffrage,  commending 
Spain  in  this  respect :  "  There  is  one  provision  which 
will  immortalize  its  inventors — it  is  that  which,  after 
a  certain  epoch,  disfranchises  every  citizen  who  can- 


THOMAS    JEFFERSON  83 

not  read  and  write.  This  is  new  and  is  a  fruitful 
germ  of  the  improvement  of  everything  good."  He 
was  in  favor  of  a  clause  in  the  first  constitution  of 
the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia  restricting  the  suf- 
frage by  educational  and  property  qualifications. 
He  was  opposed  to  a  candidate  for  office  expending 
money  to  aid  in  his  election,  and  in  his  draft  of  a 
constitution,  which  was  too  late  to  be  offered  in  the 
convention,  he  inserted  a  paragraph  that  "  no  person 
shall  be  -capable  of  acting  in  any  office,  civil,  military, 
or  ecclesiastical,  who  had  so  expended  money."  This 
principle  has  been  recently  engrafted  in  the  laws  of 
Virginia.  He  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  a  canal 
across  the  Isthmus,  a  project  now  undertaken  by  the 
Government  of  the  United  States. 

He  was  deeply  affectionate  in  his  family  relations, 
sincere  in  his  friendship,  strictly  honest  in  business, 
eminently  patriotic  in  public  affairs,  most  charitable 
to  the  needy,  and  affable  and  unostentatious  in  per- 
sonal intercourse.  He  was  hospitable  even  beyond 
Southern  precedent,  and  his  generous  roof-tree  was 
to  his  unnumbered  friends  as  their  own ;  but  beneath 
its  reducing  process  his  fortune  vanished  and  poverty 
shadowed  his  way  to  the  grave.  He  died  on 
July  4,  1826. 

Cicero  has  said :  "  Of  all  human  things,  nothing 
is  more  honorable  or  excellent  than  to  deserve  well  of 
one's  country."  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  sage  and 
prophet  of  Monticello,  deserves  well  of  his  country, 
and  his  memory  should  be  cherished  by  the  people 
in  everlasting  gratitude.  He  is  the  largest  and 
brightest  fixed  eternal  star  in  the  political  firmament 
of  the  United  States.  Inspired  by  an  innate  love  of 


84        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

justice,  Jefferson  was  swept  into  intense  hatred  of 
the  oppressive  policy  of  government  prevailing  in 
the  colonies,  and  his  wonderful  wisdom,  driven  by  the 
strenuousness  of  youth,  evolved  a  form  of  govern- 
ment befitting  a  virtuous  people.  Although  this 
country  now  boasts  of  the  noblest  polity  ever  evolved 
in  the  progress  of  mankind,  his  ideal  has  not  yet  been 
attained.  We  have  seen  that  his  first  step  was  to 
destroy  class  privilege  and  establish  that  equality 
which  gives  the  right  of  way  to  the  aristocracy  of 
virtue  and  talent.  He  saw  between  a  government 
by  king  and  lords  and  the  savage  liberty  which  roams 
the  wilderness  with  unrestrained  license,  a  happy 
medium,  where  reason  rules,  where  peace  governs, 
where  right  prevails,  where  patriotism  serves.  Labor, 
the  creator  of  property,  has  made  all  our  heroes  who 
rise  above  the  centuries  like  powerful  waves  on  the 
mighty  sea,  and  those  good  men  who  link  love  with 
labor  are  the  aristocrats  whom  Jefferson  wished  to  be 
fiduciaries  of  the  Republic. 

Let  labor  and  love  be  the  motto  of  men.  Then 
demagogues  will  die  and  righteous  government  will 
prevail  in  the  land.  Let  us  all  pray  that  the  Almighty 
Power  which  numbers  the  sands  of  the  sea,  the  drops 
of  rain,  the  days  of  eternity,  which  compasses  all 
space  and  rules  all  of  the  great  worlds  of  infinity, 
will  vouchsafe  to  us  a  Jeffersonian  Government ! 


UNVEILING   OF    THE    MONUMENT   AT 
FORT   NELSON 

[An  introductory  address  at  the  unveiling  of  the  Monument 
at  Fort  Nelson  by  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution 
on  May  10,  1906.] 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

I  am  proud  to  witness  this  gathering  of  the  people 
of  Portsmouth.  I  am  proud  to  know  my  city  feels 
such  interest  in  the  patriotic  work  of  our  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution.  I  am  exceedingly 
rejoiced  at  this  splendid  display  of  civic  pride,  and 
I  am  glad  to  see  these  dear  school  children  here  to 
imbibe  patriotic  inspiration  and  learn  to  love  pure 
and  high  motives. 

The  monument  which  the  Fort  Nelson  Chapter  of 
the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  has  called 
us  to  dedicate,  is  a  memory  of  patriotism.  It  is  a 
guard  of  honor  at  the  gateway  of  our  city,  and 
exemplifies  one  of  the  noblest  sentiments  which  ever 
burned  in  the  hearts  of  noble  men  and  women — the 
sentiment  which  moves  men  to  die  for  God  and 
country,  the  sentiment  which  makes  virtue  rule  human 
emotions,  honor  and  truth  govern  human  actions,  and 
which  tramples  upon  sordid  selfishness  and  forces 
men  to  commemorate  high  ideals  in  brass  and  marble. 

This  place,  with  its  history  of  130  years,  sets  an 
honored  name  in  the  annals  of  Portsmouth;  and  the 
monument,  commemorative  of  true  men  who  have 
trod  its  soil  in  the  days  hid  behind  the  clouds  of 

85 


86        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

centuries,  emphasizes  the  individuality  of  our  city 
and  teaches  fidelity  to  its  corporate  existence. 

If  selfish  commercialism  should  blot  out  the  City 
of  Portsmouth  by  consolidating  it  with  another  city, 
then  upturn  the  foundations  of  your  monuments, 
burn  your  ancient  landmarks  on  the  altar  of  the 
money-changers,  and  let  the  virtue  and  honor  of  your 
statesmen  and  soldiers  be  known  no  more  in  the  city 
of  their  birth. 

Fort  Nelson  has  tender  associations  for  me.  It 
was  here  that  I  first  learned  to  keep  step  to  martial 
music  and  pull  the  lanyard  of  great  guns  under  the 
blue  banner  of  the  Old  Dominion.  Here  thousands 
of  soldiers  marched  in  response  to  the  call  of  our 
State  of  Virginia,  in  1861.  Here  the  garrison  of 
Fort  Nelson,  under  the  glorious  Stars  and  Stripes, 
on  June  22,  1813,  stood  to  their  shotted  guns  ready 
to  meet  the  invaders,  who  were  defeated  yonder  at 
Craney  Island  by  our  Captain  Arthur  Emmerson  and 
other  gallant  heroes. 

During  the  Revolution  sovereign  Virginia  erected 
Fort  Nelson  to  resist  Dunmore  should  he  ever  attempt 
to  return  to  the  harbor  of  Portsmouth  and  Norfolk. 
It  was  named  for  the  patriot,  Governor  Nelson,  who 
gave  his  private  fortune  to  aid  the  credit  of  Virginia, 
and  risked  his  life  and  sacrificed  his  health  on  the 
battlefields  of  the  American  Republic. 

On  account  of  its  location  it  was  never  the  scene 
of  any  bloody  battle,  but  like  the  "  Old  Guard,"  it 
was  always  held  in  reserve  for  the  emergencies  of  war. 

On  May  9,  1779,  a  great  British  fleet,  under  Ad- 
miral Sir  George  Collier,  entered  Hampton  Roads, 
sailed  up  the  Elizabeth  River  and  landed  3000  royal 


MONUMENT    AT    FORT    NELSON       87 

soldiers  under  General  Mathews  in  Norfolk  County 
where  Port  Norfolk  now  stands,  to  flank  this  fortifi- 
cation and  capture  its  garrison  composed  of  only  150 
soldiers.  Major  Thomas  Mathews,  the  American 
commander,  frustrated  the  design  of  the  British 
general  by  evacuating  the  fort  and  retreating  to  the 
southward.  On  May  11  the  British  took  possession 
of  the  two  towns  of  Portsmouth  and  Norfolk  and 
gave  free  hand  to  pillage  and  destruction.  Sir 
George  Collier,  after  satisfying  his  wrath,  sailed 
back  to  New  York.  Varying  fortune  befell  Fort 
Nelson  during  the  remainder  of  the  war,  until  the 
evacuation  of  Benedict  Arnold,  after  which  no  British 
grenadier  ever  paced  its  ramparts. 

After  the  close  of  the  Revolution  it  was  rebuilt  and 
for  many  years  was  garrisoned  by  regular  soldiers  of 
the  United  States ;  but  sin-ce  abandoned  as  a  forti- 
fication it  has  been  a  beautiful  park  and  a  home  for 
the  sick  officers  and  sailors  of  our  navy. 

The  unique  monument,  a  genuine  Revolutionary 
cannon  mounted  on  a  granite  pedestal,  which  we  are 
about  to  unveil,  is  an  appropriate  memento  of  Fort 
Nelson's  history,  and  the  thanks  of  the  people  are  due 
to  the  ladies  of  Fort  Nelson  Chapter  for  this  imper- 
ishable landmark.  All  honor  for  their  patriotism  and 
devotion. 


THE  EVOLUTION  OF  THE  SOUTH 

[Address  delivered  before  Stonewall  Camp,  Confederate  Vet- 
erans, April  6,  1900.] 

MY  COMRADES  : 

It  is  always  a  pleasure  to  meet  my  old  comrades- 
in-arms  and  I  am  glad  of  this  opportunity  to  speak 
to  you  on  the  "  Evolution  of  the  South."  Tolerant 
of  themselves,  intolerant  of  all  others,  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers  who  landed  on  Plymouth  Rock,  planted  seeds 
of  sectional  strife  as  vital  as  those  which  fed  the  feud 
between  Lancaster  and  York  in  England's  war  of 
thirty  years,  and  they  were  the  cause  of  our  Con- 
federate war. 

These  seeds  were  so  latent  that,  as  the  colonies 
grew,  other  interests  overshadowed  them  and  welded 
a  common  cause  when  Boston  defied  the  assertion  of  a 
right  of  taxation  without  representation. 

There  was  freedom's  cry !  The  blood  of  Lexing- 
ton's minute  men  thrilled  the  manhood  of  the  North 
and  South  to  unite  in  the  war  against  Great  Britain ; 
and  the  soldiers  of  the  South,  in  the  language  of 
General  Morgan,  "  marched  in  a  bee-line  "  to  Bos- 
ton's aid,  standing  thenceforward  shoulder  to  shoul- 
der with  the  sons  of  New  England  until  they  won 
independence  at  Yorktown,  under  the  sun  of  the 
South. 

The  second  war  with  England  closed  in  the  glory 
of  Andrew  Jackson's  victory  over  Wellington's 

88 


EVOLUTION    OF    THE    SOUTH          89 

Waterloo  veterans  at  the  Crescent  City  of  the  South, 
after  Key,  of  Maryland,  had  written  the  "  Star 
Spangled  Banner  "  from  the  porthole  of  his  prison 
ship  at  Baltimore. 

The  South  brought  Texas  to  the  galaxy  of  stars 
on  the  old  flag ;  and  the  soldiers  of  the  South  rallied, 
two  to  one  of  the  North,  to  capture  the  capital  of 
Mexico  and  add  golden  California  to  the  American 
States. 

Along  the  line  of  territorial  expansion  sectional 
hatred  grew,  and  disease  of  the  body  politic  spread 
almost  as  rapidly  as  the  growth  of  the  country,  which 
was  principally  achieved  by  Southern  valor. 

The  people  of  the  North  and  South  were  so 
radically  unlike  in  tastes  and  interests  as  to  become, 
at  least  in  spirit,  different  nations. 

The  South  had  faults !  There  was  the  cruel  "  code 
of  honor  "  which  forced  politeness  between  gentlemen 
that  should  have  been  given  from  love.  The  South 
had  slavery ;  but  it  was  not  all  herself  that  gave  it  to 
her  soil. 

The  North  assumed  censorship  over  the  common 
domain  and  invoked  Higher  Law  to  abolish  slavery  at 
the  hazard  of  fundamental  rights  which  common 
blood  had  gained  from  the  British  Crown.  Hear  the 
treaty:  "  Article  II.  His  Britannic  Majesty  acknowl- 
edges the  said  United  States,  viz. :  New  Hampshire, 
Massachusetts  Bay,  Rhode  Island  and  Province 
Plantations,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia  to  be  free, 
sovereign  and  independent  States ;  that  he  treats 
them  as  such,  and  for  himself,  his  heirs  and  successors, 


90        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

relinquishes  all  claims  to  the  government,  proprietary 
and  territorial  rights  of  the  same  and  every  part 
thereof." 

Afterwards  the  sovereign  States  united  under  a 
constitution  executed  on  September  17,  1787 ;  but 
what  was  not  granted  to  the  general  government 
under  this  fundamental  compact  was  denied;  and  all 
other  rights  of  sovereignty  continued  in  the  States 
as  surrendered  and  relinquished  to  them  by  the 
sovereign  of  England. 

This  constitution  was  the  agreement  of  partnership 
between  the  States,  and  even  Robert  Ingersoll  said 
that  this  expressed  the  original  idea  of  government. 

When  the  North  broke  the  covenants,  the  South 
threw  down  the  gauntlet,  and  the  great  war  came 
upon  us  with  destruction  and  blood  unforeseen  and 
undreamed  of. 

The  South  was  overpowered,  slavery  was  lost, 
billions  of  property  destroyed,  and  the  right  of 
State  secession  forced  to  surrender  to  a  dominant 
national  union. 

However,  these  results  do  not  forfeit  any  other 
reserved  rights,  which  are  now  as  firmly  sovereign  as 
King  George  III.  declared  in  the  name  of  the  Most 
Holy  and  Undivided  Trinity  on  the  3d  day  of 
September,  1783.  The  South  loved  the  principles  of 
that  reserved  sovereignty  more  than  she  loved  terri- 
tory or  the  sentiment  which  called  millions  of  North 
men  and  aliens  to  arms  for  an  indissoluble  Union.  She 
gave  all  her  wealth  and  rivers  of  the  best  blood  of 
her  sons  a  willing  sacrifice.  Her  maimed  and  her 
150,000  slain  soldiers  make  up  a  record  of  valor  and 
virtue  as  fair  as  nation's  honor  ever  claimed. 


EVOLUTION    OF    THE    SOUTH          91 


BOTH   STRONG  AND  WISE. 

In  the  future  some  historian  shall  come  forth  both  strong 

and  wise, 

With  a  love  of  the  Republic,  and  the  truth  before  his  eyes, 
He  will  show  the  subtle  causes  of  the  war  between  the  States, 
He  will  go  back  in  his  studies  far  beyond  our  modern  dates, 
He  will  trace  our  hostile  ideas  as  the  miner  does  the  lodes, 
He  will  show  the  different  habits  of  different  social  codes, 
He  will  show  the  Union  riven,  and  the  picture  will  deplore, 
He  will  show  it  reunited  and  made  stronger  than  before. 
Slow  and  patient,  fair  and  truthful,  must  the  coming  teacher 

be, 
To  show  how  the  knife  was  sharpened  that  was  ground  to 

prune  the  tree. 
He  will  hold  the  scales  of  justice,  he  will  measure  praise  and 

blame, 

And  the  South  will  stand  the  verdict  and  will  stand  it  with- 
out blame. 

I  am  thankful  to  have  been  spared  to  hear  Spain's 
cruel  policy  of  starvation  in  Cuba  -condemned  by 
those  who  countenanced  Sheridan's  waste  in  the  valley 
of  Virginia,  so  that  "  a  crow  flying  over  would  have 
to  carry  its  rations  " ;  Sherman's  march  to  the  sea 
with  wanton  desolation  in  its  wake;  Ben  Butler's  war 
on  non-combatants,  even  to  a  convict  guard  for  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  while  compelled  to  labor  in  the 
streets ;  quinine  contraband  of  war,  and  prisoners 
unexchanged  as  a  military  necessity  for  a  civilized 
nation,  and  then,  after  success  in  arms,  san-ctioned  the 
fetters  on  President  Jefferson  Davis  to  break  the 
spirit  of  a  proud  people.  Thank  God  their  spirit 
could  not  be  broken  !  And  thank  Him  that  no  Arnold 
ever  disgraced  the  name  of  any  of  the  generals  of  the 
South ;  but  she  has  given  Robert  E.  Lee  as  the 


92        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

grandest  military  chieftain  and  Stonewall  Jackson 
as  the  greatest  field  marshal  ever  listed  in  the  cata- 
logue of  fame.  It  has  been  truly  said  that  since  the 
foundation  of  this  Government  men  of  the  South  have 
demonstrated  in  every  line  of  action,  in  political  life, 
on  the  battlefield,  in  literature,  in  science,  in  great 
business  undertakings,  in  every  sphere  of  life,  that 
they  are  the  peers  of  the  most  progressive  men  of  the 
world. 

Jefferson,  Clay,  Calhoun,  and  Judah  P.  Benjamin, 
as  statesmen ;  Washington,  Lee,  and  Stonewall  Jack- 
son, as  soldiers ;  Buchanan,  Maury,  and  Raphael 
Semmes,  as  sailors;  Poe,  Timrod,  and  Barron  Hope, 
as  poets,  lift  her  up  to  a  standard  not  outshone  along 
time's  hoary  centuries. 

There  was  an  era  in  the  South  when  the  sunbeams 
of  contentment  gilded  the  pillars  of  her  homes,  which 
were  real  palaces  of  hospitality  and  pleasure. 

Her  fertile  fields  charmed  the  vision  of  master, 
mistress  and  slave  when  green  wheat  spread  over 
vast  areas,  and  cotton  was  the  wealth  of  the  great 
planters.  It  was  her  peace,  when  agriculture  gave 
toil  for  all  her  laborers,  and  her  wealth  marked  forty- 
four  per  cent,  of  the  whole  country.  Then  came  her 
discontent  in  the  throes  of  war,  when  the  tread  of 
soldiery  wasted  her  products,  and  shot  and  shell  tore 
the  furrows  which  had  been  dressed  by  the  peaceful 
plow.  The  blood  of  her  soldiers  ran  down  into  the 
ragged  holes  which  made  unmarked  graves  for  her 
uncoffined  dead.  The  sunlight  of  her  wealth  faded 
out  and  darkest  poverty  covered  the  face  of  her  fair 
farms.  Then  in  the  sorrow  of  defeat  her  independ- 
ence died ! 


EVOLUTION    OF    THE    SOUTH          93 

She  sat  tributary  to  that  part  of  Washington's 
country  which  had  always  fed  and  fattened  from  her 
plantations.  The  yoke  was  heavy  and  its  bows  were 
as  strong  as  the  riven  oak ;  but  it  chastened  the  souls 
of  her  sons  to  a  victory  which  has  made  her  the  beauty 
of  the  nation.  The  evolution  came  in  glorious 
splendor.  Her  fields  bloom  again  as  of  yore,  her 
iron,  coal,  and  all  the  ores  of  her  hills  turn  to  gold 
at  the  stroke  of  the  strong  arm  of  her  sons.  Her 
daughters,  refined,  gentle,  sweet,  beautiful  women, 
with  the  loftiness  of  soul  and  nobleness  of  heart  which 
sustained  them  in  the  terrible  times  of  war,  grace  her 
homes  as  lovely  queens ;  and  her  children  grow  strong 
and  rich  in  the  land  of  their  father's  graves. 

The  South  to-day  is  as  a  princess  in  the  palace  of 
the  forefathers  who  broke  England's  yoke.  The  fair 
land  of  flowers  is  rich  in  mining  and  manufacturing, 
as  well  as  in  agriculture,  while  the  Merrimac's  grand 
water  power  is  wasting  in  the  silence  of  spindles  and 
unemployed  laborers  cry  for  bread  in  the  shadow  of 
New  England's  great  factory  buildings.  If  the 
South  has  suffered  for  slavery,  the  North  has  now  its 
turn  at  the  mills  of  the  gods,  which  grind  slowly  but 
surely. 

There  is  the  meddler's  fate !  There  is  the  fanatic's 
bitter  fruit !  There  is  the  result  of  the  wild  unreason- 
ableness which  poisoned  the  Northern  mind  to  pull 
down  the  pillars  which  upheld  their  industrial  temples 
and  sustained  their  commercial  power !  It  is  the 
ordinance  of  events  which  called  forth  the  hidden 
resources  of  the  South  to  the  destruction  of  those 
who  forced  them. 

The  injured  may  cry  aloud  and  invoke  lawmaker's 


94        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

aid,  but  the  logic  of  climate  and  conditions  is  now  the 
Higher  Law.  The  frozen  hills  of  Massachusetts' 
Bay  must  bow  to  the  inevitable ;  her  industrial  profits 
must  fall,  and  the  commercial  activity  of  her  ports 
must  be  given  to  the  seaboard  cities  of  the  South. 
The  greater  commerce — the  most  profitable  mining, 
the  most  prosperous  manufacturing  and  the  most 
advantageous  farming — must  henceforth  be  under 
the  sun  of  the  South. 

The  Boston  Herald,  expressing  amazement  at  the 
recent  progress  of  the  South,  says :  "  And  yet, 
whether  considered  as  the  seat  of  agriculture,  mining 
or  manufactures,  the  South  is  still  virgin  soil.  Its 
possibilities  are  yet  more  remarkable  than  its  recent 
progress,  and  as  the  one  is  developed  and  the  other 
expands,  it  is  destined  to  add  in  the  near  future  more 
than  any  other  part  of  the  country  to  the  aggregate 
wealth  of  the  nation." 

This  generation  has  seen  many  marvelous  changes 
in  national  history ;  but  nothing  has  compared  in  the 
century  with  the  rise  of  the  South  from  the  incal- 
culable calamities  of  war  and  its  results ;  and  she  has 
paid  her  proportion  of  the  pension  roll  of  the  North, 
which  costs  yearly  nearly  as  much  as  the  greatest 
imperial  standing  army  on  earth.  The  manhood  of 
the  sons  of  the  South  has  already  brought  her  up  to 
the  standard  of  prosperity  as  wonderful  as  the 
strength  of  her  armies  against  the  fourfold  cohorts 
of  the  world's  recruits.  While  Northern  money  has 
been  invested  in  Southern  enterprises,  it  is  admitted 
that  by  far  the  greatest  part  of  the  increased  wealth 
is  due  to  Southern  intelligence  and  energy.  An  in- 
vestigation will  reveal  the  fact  that  the  head-masters 


EVOLUTION    OF    THE    SOUTH          95 

in  the  line  of  development  are  mostly  Confederate 
soldiers. 

Her  banks,  her  mines,  her  manufactories,  are 
guided  by  the  men  whose  hands  struck  hardest  for  the 
"  Cause  "  which  Twitchell  said  was  shot  to  death  in 
'65.  Yes;  good  St.  Stephen  was  stoned  to  death; 
mighty  Socrates  was  poisoned  to  death ;  great  Caesar 
was  stabbed  to  death;  patriot  Isaac  Hayne  was 
hanged  to  death;  Marshal  Ney,  the  bravest  of  the 
brave,  was  shot  to  death,  thus  forcing  mortals  to 
ashes  and  spirits  to  immortality,  which  are  more 
powerful  now  than  in  the  noonday  of  their  manhood. 

Columbus  suffered  in  chains  and  died  in  poverty ; 
Napoleon,  the  military  master  of  Europe,  died  in 
exile,  but  their  fame  lives — the  one  in  the  greatest 
discovery  and  the  other  in  unrivaled  martial  splendor. 

Ireland  may  be  bound  in  -chains  to  Britain's  crown  ; 
Cuba  was  held  in  bloody  fetters  to  Castilian  royalty, 
but  the  pure  spirit  of  liberty  lives  in  the  chain-meshes 
of  imperialism,  like  fair  lilies  bloom  on  the  death-dark 
waters  of  stagnant  lakes.  You  may  declare  it  shot 
to  death  in  '65,  but  it  will  live  in  its  glorious  chivalry 
as  long  as  the  cypress  sighs,  the  willow  bows,  or  the 
aspen  trembles.  You  may  proclaim  it  dead  at  Appo- 
mattox,  but  its  splendid  spirit  still  retains  the  magic 
power  of  constitutional  liberty.  Its  influence  will 
flourish  as  the  leaves  of  summer,  and  its  cherished 
memories  shall  survive,  ever  green,  as  the  cedars  of 
Lebanon.  Its  principles  will  rescue  our  dual  Govern- 
ment from  Federal  imperialism. 

Ex-Senator  Ingalls,  of  Kansas,  is  reported  to  have 
said  that  "  State  lines  are  fading  out  "  under  the  sun 
of  the  South.  Heaven  forbid !  Shall  the  heart  of 


96        THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

America  repudiate  "  Sic  Semper  Tyrannis  "  or  "  E 
Pluribus  Unum  "  ?  Shall  the  stars  fade  from  the 
American  flag  and  State  boundaries  be  blotted  out? 
The  States  must  live,  for  they  are  the  safeguard  of 
the  Union ;  and  let  them  be  as  distinct  as  the  lines 
of  the  great  river  in  the  sea,  which  takes  the  blue, 
warm  waters  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  through  the 
bosom  of  the  ocean  to  bloom  flowers  on  the  Norwegian 
coasts !  Yes,  States  forever,  indestructible  States 
ever  with  the  indissoluble  Union  !  As  the  Gulf  Stream 
goes  to  make  life  in  frozen  lands,  let  the  State  give 
life  to  the  nation  as  Washington  and  Lee  loved  it.  Is 
it  possible  that  State  lines  are  fading  out  in  the 
heart  of  America?  fading  out  in  the  land  of  which 
the  Philadelphia  Ledger,  in  the  lifetime  of  Editor 
George  Washington  Childs,  said :  "  When  ancestry 
is  taken  into  consideration,  the  South  is  to-day  the 
most  truly  American  section  of  the  United  States. 
The  blood  of  its  whites  has  run  in  the  one  channel 
since  colonial  days.  The  other  States  have  been 
largely  built  up  by  foreign  immigration  since  the 
formation  of  the  Union. 

"  The  armies  of  the  North  had  a  large  proportion 
of  men  of  alien  birth.  The  Confederates  were  almost 
entirely  of  American  birth  and  of  a  line  of  American 
ancestry.  One  reason  why  the  South  to-day  exerts 
such  force  in  Congress  is  that  she  sends  her  best  men 
to  the  front,  and  they  possess  the  heritage  of  Ameri- 
can descent."  Shall  Virginia,  the  two  Carolinas,  and 
Georgia  be  as  indistinct  on  the  map  of  the  Union  as 
Alaskan  ice  fields  ?  Shame  upon  such  a  thought !  It 
is  a  disgrace  to  American  descent !  Valley  Forge  and 
Yorktown  could  not  hide  it. 


EVOLUTION    OF    THE    SOUTH          97 

The  Southerners  will  never  blot  out   State  lines, 
nor  let  them  fade  under  the  sun  of  the  South ! 

Give  us  back  the  ties  of  Yorktown ! 

Perish  all  the  modern  hates! 
Let  us  stand  together,  brothers, 

In  defiance  of  the  fates; 
For  the  safety  of  the  Union 

Is  the  safety  of  the  States. 


EULOGY    ON    GENERAL    LEE 

[An  address  before  the  United  Daughters  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, January  19,  1901.] 

MKS.  PRESIDENT,  PORTSMOUTH  CHAPTER,  U.  D.  C., 
AND  THEIR  FRIENDS: 

The  centuries  have  given  many  men  to  measure  up 
to  the  standard  of  greatness ;  many  men  worthy  of  a 
place  in  the  temple  of  fame;  many  of  prodigious 
valor ;  many  of  thrilling  chivalry ;  many  of  brilliant 
intellectual  attainments ;  many  of  splendid  virtues ; 
but,  as  I  see,  no  single  character  is  or  has  been  so 
deeply  loved  by  the  people  whom  he  served,  and  few 
more  generally  admired  by  the  world,  than  Robert 
Edward  Lee.  His  very  name  is  inspiration  to  the 
hearts  of  Southerners ;  his  conduct  a  model  for  their 
children ;  his  great  goodness  like  a  ceaseless  prayer 
for  their  welfare. 

General  Lee  was  great  and  good,  brilliant  and 
modest,  humble  and  true,  faithful  to  his  God  and 
fellows.  His  life  is  a  picture  of  love  and  beauty ; 
and  all  his  actions  from  youth  to  old  age  were  infused 
with  the  highest  ideals  of  duty.  No  considerations 
could  turn  him  from  its  path ;  no  inducements  could 
swerve  his  inflexible  devotion  to  truth. 

A  cavalier  ancestor  of  the  eleventh  century  left 
him  lessons  of  true  pride,  honor,  self-sacrifice,  and 
generous  nature,  and  a  father  like  "  Light  Horse 
Harry  "  gave  a  light,  which  must  have  in  a  measure 
guided  his  conduct. 

98 


EULOGY    ON    GENERAL    LEE  99 

Robert  E.  Lee  was  born  on  January  19,  1807,  in 
the  same  house  and  same  room  in  which  Richard 
Henry  Lee  and  Francis  Lightfoot  Lee,  two  signers 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  were  born. 

It  might  be  said  that  he  inherited  honor  and  fame ; 
nevertheless,  he  held  them  not  as  an  idler's  toy,  but 
applied  his  vigorous  energies  and  imperial  intellect 
to  emulate  his  forefathers  in  all  their  courageous, 
virtuous,  and  noble  characteristics. 

He  commenced  his  boyhood  in  the  line  of  merito- 
rious manhood.  When  he  entered  West  Point  he  took 
the  head  of  his  class  and  held  it  until  he  was 
graduated  in  1829,  never  having  received  a  demerit 
or  reprimand  during  his  term  there.  He  entered  upon 
the  duties  of  an  army  officer  with  the  highest  honor 
of  his  military  school,  and  afterward,  in  the  fiery  rush 
of  battle,  held  fast  to  his  attainment  and  was  thrice 
brevetted  for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the 
Mexican  war. 

He  served  thirty  years  in  the  United  States  army, 
and  was  considered  by  all  officers,  almost  without 
exception,  to  be,  by  many  degrees,  the  most  accom- 
plished soldier  in  the  service. 

The  commander-in-chief,  General  Winfield  Scott, 
entertained  such  an  opinion  of  him,  and  said :  "  Lee 
is  the  greatest  military  genius  in  America." 

He  undoubtedly  stood  highest  on  the  military 
record  of  the  United  States  army  when  Virginia 
seceded.  Had  rank,  self-aggrandizement,  success 
and  wealth  been  his  dream  of  life,  he  would  have  re- 
mained in  the  old  army. 

All  the  allurements  of  power  and  place  a  mighty 
nation  could  tender  were  in  the  request  to  unsheathe 


100      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

his  sword  as  commander-in-chief  of  Lincoln's  armies. 
But  the  metal  of  the  man  was  not  poured  in  that  mold 
which  turns  out  the  creature  for  the  dazzling  equip- 
ments of  success  at  the  sacrifice  of  honor.  No  place 
could  win  and  no  power  could  tempt  him  from  that 
path  of  duty  which  led  him  to  draw  his  sword  for 
Virginia. 

Here  his  mighty  character  unfolded  itself  to  the 
world,  and  it  stood  the  test  under  every  condition. 

General  Lee  was  high  in  the  opinion  of  the  people, 
and  their  expectations  were  great  when  he  was  ordered 
to  -command  the  defeated  army  of  the  slain  Garnett  ; 
but  he  failed  to  retrieve  the  disasters  in  western 
Virginia,  and  the  indignation  of  the  inconsiderate- 
public  arose  against  him  as  the  cruel  blasts  of  a  de- 
structive cyclone. 

His  military  reputation  fell  as  fevered  mercury  on 
Arctic  ice,  and  popular  prejudice  retired  him  to  the 
list  of  inefficient  officers.  Had  its  verdict  held,  no 
great  general,  no  illustrious  military  leader,  no  loved 
hero  for  the  South,  would  be  personified  in  Robert 
E.  Lee. 

But  the  hand  which  guided  the  helm  of  the  Con- 
federacy knew  the  man,  and  the  fickle  public  could  not 
deter  or  restrain  its  judgment.  Therein  was  the  man- 
hood and  statesmanship  of  Jefferson  Davis.  He 
deserves  a  monument  from  the  South  by  every  con- 
sideration of  patriotism  and  justice. 

Say  what  you  may  of  President  Davis,  we  owe  to 
him  the  rescue  of  our  beloved  Lee  from  the  merciless 
oblivion  of  unjust  and  cruel  public  opinion.  Mr. 
Davis  leaves  us  a  great  lesson  of  charity,  to  restrain 
our  prejudices  and  govern  our  judgment.  The  hero 


EULOGY  ON  GENERAL  LEE    101 

and  the  man  were  there,  although  the  shadows  of 
pitiless  night  concealed  the  majestic  form. 

After  General  Joseph  E.  Johnson  was  incapacitated 
by  wounds  at  Seven  Pines,  Jefferson  Davis  made 
Robert  E.  Lee  commander  of  the  army  in  spite  of 
misfortune.  There  began  a  career  so  brilliant  as  to 
entitle  him  to  be  -classed  with  the  greatest  generals  on 
the  lists  of  renown. 

He  took  but  one  week  to  defeat  McClellan's  great 
army,  relieve  the  siege  of  Richmond,  and  reinstal 
himself  as  the  best  loved  hero  in  all  the  South.  Then 
followed  in  the  course  of  time  the  great  battles  of 
Sharpsburg,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville,  Get- 
tysburg, Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  Cold  Harbor, 
and  Petersburg,  in  which  his  matchless  leadership 
thrilled  the  world. 

But  perhaps  the  true  greatness  of  the  man  was 
more  vividly  displayed  after  his  surrender  at  Appo- 
mattox,  when  he  said :  "  I  have  led  the  young  men  of 
the  South  in  battle ;  I  have  seen  many  of  them  fall 
under  my  standard.  I  shall  devote  my  life  now  to 
training  young  men  to  do  their  duty  in  life." 

Lord  Wolseley  said :  "  I  have  met  many  of  the 
great  men  of  my  time,  but  Lee  alone  impressed  me 
with  the  feeling  that  I  was  in  the  presence  of  a  man 
who  was  cast  in  a  grander  mold  and  made  of  different 
and  finer  metal  than  all  other  men.  He  is  stamped 
upon  my  memory  as  a  being  apart  and  superior  to  all 
others  in  every  way,  a  man  with  whom  none  I  ever 
knew  and  very  few  of  whom  I  have  read  are  worthy 
to  be  classed." 

Modesty,  gentleness,  simplicity,  benevolence  and 
Christian  humility  added  to  Robert  E.  Lee's  military 


102       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

genius  made  him  the  man  whom  the  South  prizes  as 
its  individual  and  national  exemplar. 

Notwithstanding  international  edict  and  national 
law,  to  all  of  which  I  yield  perfect  obedience,  there 
is  and  will  be  a  national  South  in  the  hearts  of  her 
true  people ;  and  may  God  let  it  live,  because  it 
symbolizes  chivalry,  truth,  honor,  pride,  patience,  and 
self-abnegation,  as  the  life  of  Robert  E.  Lee  exempli- 
fied ;  not  only  by  our  estimation,  but  by  that  of  the 
London  Standard:  "  A  country  which  has  given  birth 
to  men  like  him,  and  those  who  followed  him,  may  look 
the  chivalry  of  Europe  in  the  face  without  shame,  for 
the  fatherlands  of  Sidney  and  Bayard  never  produced 
a  nobler  soldier,  gentleman,  and  Christian  than  Gen- 
eral Robert  E.  Lee." 

And  the  honor  of  his  birthday  by  the  Daughters  of 
the  Confederacy  must  stimulate  the  virtues  of  the 
people,  enkindle  the  patriotism  of  the  men,  and  make 
these  noble  women  sponsors  of  Christian  knighthood 
in  our  Southland. 


A    SOUTHERN    GIRL    AND    MAJOR 
VON    BORCKE 

A  SOUTHERN  girl — Southern  in  beauty — Southern 
in  principle,  Southern  in  heart,  like  a  lovely  flower, 
came  to  grace  a  home  and  adorn  the  traditions  of  a 
chivalric  people.  Her  life  was  a  lesson  of  beauty, 
and  it  passed  on  to  God  in  the  glory  of  youth.  The 
hearts  of  the  people  sank  in  sorrow  when  the  shadows 
of  the  dark  river  obscured  her  light,  and  the  loving 
mother  of  an  only  child  wept  till  tearless  eyes  gazed 
in  despair  on  a  hallowed  tomb  ;  but  the  hope  of  meeting 
angels  before  the  King's  throne  lifts  the  hearts  of  de- 
voted parents  to  His  abiding  love  and  wisdom ;  and 
now  they  cherish  her  memory  as  Heaven's  jewel  and 
their  glory.  The  dead  was  a  child  of  the  South.  The 
Southern  Cross  was  her  flag  long  after  stern  dragoons 
who  bore  it  over  many  victorious  fields  were  crushed 
in  defeat.  Her  admiration  for  Southern  soldiers  was 
marked  in  her  daily  devotions,  and  her  ideal  cavalier 
centered  in  the  dashing  Prussian  dragoon  who  rode 
with  Stuart  and  "  shared  the  sufferings  and  glory  of 
the  unfortunate  people  of  the  late  Confederacy." 
The  inspiration  of  the  "  Memoirs  of  the  Confederate 
War  for  Independence  "  prompted  Margaret  Mur- 
daugh  Maupin  to  write  to  the  author,  of  her  grati- 
tude for  his  services  to  her  beloved  country,  and  of 
her  admiration  for  his  matchless  gallantry  on  Vir- 
ginia's battlefields,  with  request  for  his  picture  to 
hang  on  the  walls  of  her  home  with  those  of  Lee  and 

103 


104      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

Jackson  and  Stuart.  The  faith  and  pride  of  the  Vir- 
ginia maiden  in  the  cause  of  her  people  touched  the 
knightly  soul  of  the  noble  soldier,  and  from  the  depths 
of  his  heart  came  the  reply  following : 

"  GIEZENBRIGGE,  near  Adamsdorf, 

"  Newmark,  Prussia,  April  4,  1890. 
"  DEAR  Miss  MARGARET — Your  charming  letter  of 
January  4  I  received  but  a  few  days  ago,  and  I 
hasten  to  send  to  you  (inclosed)  the  wished-for 
photograph  in  Confederate  uniform,  hoping  that  you 
will  send  me  yours  in  return,  so  that  I  may  be  enabled 
to  recognize  my  new  friend  among  the  many  old  ones 
I  have  in  dear  old  Virginia.  I  feel  much  flattered  by 
your  kind  words  and  am  very  glad  that  the  glorious 
times  of  the  war  for  independence  are  so  vivid  in  the 
memory  of  the  new  generation.  Supposing  that  it  may 
be  of  interest  to  you,  I  will  tell  you  about  my  present 
life.  I  am  living  on  my  old  family  estate  and  am 
married  to  a  dear  wife.  I  have  four  children — three 
boys,  Erich,  Wener  and  Wulf,  the  two  elder  ones 
being  cadets  of  our  great  military  institute,  and  a 
sweet  little  girl,  three  years  old,  the  sunbeam  of  my 
home,  named  Virginia,  in  memory  of  the  land  which 
has  become  so  dear  to  me,  where  I  suffered  most  and 
where  I  was  most  happy.  My  old  wounds  trouble  me 
sometimes  a  good  deal,  but  my  health  is  generally 
tolerable.  I  am  corresponding  frequently  with  my 
friends  on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean,  and  sometimes 
I  have  the  great  pleasure  to  see  one  or  the  other  as 
a  dear,  honored  guest  with  me.  A  few  years  ago 
Colonel  Archer  Anderson,  of  Richmond,  Va.,  paid  me 
a  visit  of  a  few  days  with  two  of  his  daughters,  being 


A    SOUTHERN    GIRL  105 

with  them  on  a  trip  to  Europe.  You  may  have  heard 
of  my  visit  to  America  in  1884,  which  gave  me  so 
much  satisfaction,  and  which  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
renew  before  death  comes.  I  would  be  much  pleased 
by  hearing  from  you  again,  and  remain  in  the  mean- 
time, with  my  kindest  regards, 

"  Very  truly,  your  friend, 

"  HERDS  VON  BORCKE." 

The  touch  of  nature  leaped  impulsively  from  two 
hearts,  which  clasped  in  friendship  from  congenial 
sentiments  carried  thousands  of  miles  across  the  ocean 
from  Virginia  to  Prussia. 

The  girl,  proud  of  the  tender  recognition  of  the 
dashing  soldier,  replied  to  this  letter  in  a  spirit  of 
loveliness  which  won  a  crown  of  friendship  in  the 
nobleman's  household,  where  little  "  Virginia  "  was 
queen. 

On  October  31,  1890,  another  appreciative  letter 
came,  begging  pardon  the  delay,  caused  by  illness, 
saying: 

"  I  have  been  suffering  a  good  deal  of  the  summer 
by  my  old  wound,  and  had  to  be  a  long  time  absent 
from  home  on  account  of  it.  ...  Be  assured, 
dear  Miss  Margaret,  that  I  feel  very  proud  by  the 
gain  of  your  friendship,  and  that  it  gives  a  great  deal 
of  satisfaction  to  the  '  wounded  warrior  '  that  a  fair 
daughter  of  dear  old  Virginia  thus  keeps  him  in  kind 
remembrance.  .  .  .  Hoping  that  it  will  please 
you,  I  inclose  a  photograph  of  my  third  boy,  Wulf, 
and  our  little  daughter,  Virginia,  the  sunbeam  of  the 
whole  house." 


106      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

What  greater  love  could  a  soldier  have  had  for 
Virginia  than  to  spill  his  blood  on  her  fields  and  to 
name  his  only  daughter,  the  sunbeam  of  his  house, 
for  our  dear  old  State !  The  beautiful  Virginia  girl 
wove  a  laurel  crown  for  the  hero  who  held  the  hand 
of  the  dying  Stuart,  which  made  him  glad  in  the  home 
of  his  fathers ;  then  she  was  called  to  heaven.  Only 
three  years  followed  when  the  wounded  warrior  went 
to  meet  her. 

Here  was  womanly  devotion  and  manly  courage  in 
superb  exemplification — chivalric  heroism  rewarded 
by  the  smiles  of  beauty  as  his  sun  goes  down  for  the 
night  to  rise  again  in  greater  glory. 

Let  Virginia  maidens  emulate  the  patriotism  of  this 
loyal  girl  in  cherishing  the  heroism  of  Southern  sol- 
diers ;  and  Virginia  horsemen  testify  their  admiration 
of  their  Prussian  comrade  by  placing  his  bronze 
figure  at  the  right  hand  of  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart's 
monument  in  Richmond,  so  that  these  two  tried 
friends  and  distinguished  cavalrymen  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  shall  stand  together  there,  to  tell 
the  story  of  Virginia's  martial  fame  to  the  new  gen- 
erations as  they  arise  along  future  ages. 


HUMOR  OF  CAMP  AND  MARCH 

THE  Confederate  soldier  was  distinguished  for  his 
cheerfulness,  and  I  cannot  look  back  on  the  scenes 
around  the  Confederate  campfires  without  amaze- 
ment at  the  temper  of  the  men  who  carried  the  mus- 
kets. I  wonder  how  hilarity  and  sport  could  animate 
bivouacs  in  an  atmosphere  of  discomfort  and  danger. 

Around  a  campfire,  feasting  on  an  ounce  of  raw 
pork  and  cornbread  made  of  unhusked  meal,  jokes  of 
striking  humor  and  sallies  of  keen  wit  always  light- 
ened the  gloomy  hours ;  on  the  march  every  passing 
person  caught  shots  of  ridicule  which  would  almost 
make  a  mule  laugh;  and  a  line  of  soldiers  on  the 
march,  halted  for  a  tardy  commissary  train,  gave 
occasion  for  merrymaking  and  fun  as  sparkling  as 
rippling  water  dancing  in  the  sunlight. 

At  one  of  the  great  corps  reviews  in  Culpeper 
County,  Virginia,  I  saw  an  officer  off  duty  ride  out, 
in  a  white  suit,  to  see  the  formation,  and  as  soon  as 
the  troops  spied  him  battalions  of  throats  yelled, 
"  Come  out  of  that  shroud !  "  and  that  man  retreated 
as  a  rabbit  runs  from  a  beagle  hound. 

A  Congressman  dressed  in  faultless  black  cloth, 
with  a  shining  silk  hat,  riding  in  company  with  a 
general  officer  along  a  line  of  soldiers  resting  on  the 
roadside  while  the  forward  regiments  were  deploying- 
in  line  of  battle,  was  mercilessly  ridiculed  and  doubt- 
less felt  small  enough  to  hide  in  a  rathole.  "  Come 
out  of  that  hat,  I  see  your  boots,"  was  the  refrain 

107 


108      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

which  followed  him  as  far  as  could  be  heard  down  the 
road. 

Around  the  campfires  counting  on  new  clothes  from 
the  next  fight  was  as  common  as  the  calculation  of 
children  on  Santa  Claus  for  Christmas  toys. 

When  we  marched  into  Pennsylvania  General  Lee 
issued  strict  orders  against  unnecessary  and  wanton 
destruction  of  private  property,  laying  stress  on  the 
disgrace  of  outrages  on  innocent  and  defenseless 
people.  Notwithstanding,  at  the  very  first  bivouac 
in  Pennsylvania  some  fellows  chased  a  goose  into  our 
major-general's  headquarters  tent,  but  they  begged 
off  by  declaring  that  they  thought  the  order  did  not 
apply  to  stray  geese. 

A  veteran  recently  told  me  he  went  into  a  jewelry 
store  in  Chambersburg  and  asked  to  see  the  finest 
gold  watch  in  the  establishment,  which  was  promptly 
handed  to  him.  He  had  in  his  mind  to  confiscate  it, 
but  he  thought,  "  I  may  be  killed  to-morrow  with  the 
stolen  watch  on  me ;  "  then  he  handed  it  to  the  owner 
and  walked  out.  He  was  not  killed  nor  did  he  possess 
a  stolen  watch. 

On  the  right  at  Petersburg  the  picket  lines  ex- 
tended through  a  field  set  in  broom  straw,  and  there 
the  opposing  sentinels  became  so  friendly  that  they 
met  halfway  between  the  outposts,  formed  circular 
groups  on  the  ground  in  Turkish  style  and  played 
draw  poker  in  the  sunshine  during  their  whole  beat. 
It  could  only  be  broken  up  by  orders  to  keep  on  con- 
stant firing. 

In  front  of  the  "  Crater,"  or  Burnside's  mine,  the 
lines  were  very  close,  firing  was  incessant,  and  no  one 
dared  to  show  his  head  above  the  earthworks,  but  the 


HUMOR    OF    CAMP    AND    MARCH     109 

men  would  trade  tobacco  for  coffee  by  tying  a  rock 
to  a  string  and  throwing  it  over  into  the  opposite 
works,  then  fastening  a  plug  of  tobacco  to  the  string; 
the  Yankee  would  haul  it  over  and  send  in  return  its 
value  in  coffee.  They  were  never  known  to  defraud 
one  another  in  this  traffic.  Honor  on  the  firing  line 
was  the  law  of  the  Gray  and  the  Blue. 

We  were  once  on  a  forced  march  trying  to  cut  off 
a  cavalry  raiding  party.  We  were  without  any  cook- 
ing utensils,  and  when  halted  for  the  night  rations  of 
flour  were  issued.  As  necessity  is  the  mother  of  in- 
vention, the  soldiers  made  up  the  dough  on  their  oil 
clothes,  rolled  it  out  in  long  snake-like  strings,  which 
they  twisted  around  the  ramrods  of  their  muskets, 
and  stuck  up  before  the  campfire  to  bake.  So  they 
fed  on  snake  biscuits  and  marched  on  in  a  snowstorm 
next  morning  as  merry  as  basket  picnickers  on  a  May 
day. 

Do  you  wonder  that  men  with  such  spirits  were  not 
easily  subdued?  They  made  a  glorious  fight  for  a 
noble  cause,  and  deserved  to  succeed;  although  they 
lost  their  nation  they  won  the  respect  and  honor  of 
all  brave  people.  The  chivalry  of  the  Confederate 
private  soldier  characterizes  the  ideal  knight  of  the 
American  age. 


THE    BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA 

SPOTTSYLVANIA  is  a  county  full  of  historic  glory 
— colonial,  revolutionary,  and  intersectional  war 
events  thrill  its  story  and  encircle  its  name  with  a 
halo  of  fame.  It  is  said  that  Captain  John  Smith 
engaged  the  hostile  Indians  near  the  falls  of  the 
Rappahannock  in  1608. 

The  mansion  of  Governor  Spotswood  was  in  that 
county ;  also  the  home  of  the  mother  of  Washington, 
and  there  she  is  buried,  and  a  beautiful  monument  has 
been  erected  to  her  memory  by  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution.  The  first  iron  mine  ever  worked 
in  America  was  in  that  county  also,  and  from  its 
products  were  made  cannon  and  cannonballs  used  in 
the  Revolution.  And  in  our  Confederate  war  four  of 
the  twelve  greatest  battles  were  fought  on  its  fields, 
in  which  half  a  million  of  troops  were  engaged,  among 
them  soldiers  from  every  State,  almost  every  nation ; 
and  52,673  Federals  fell,  killed  and  wounded,  in  its 
battles. 

On  December  10,  1862,  our  (Sixty-First)  Regi- 
ment, Virginia  Infantry,  was  as  comfortably  en- 
camped in  winter  quarters  on  the  hills  of  Fredericks- 
burg  as  circumstances  would  permit.  Our  tents  had 
outside  clay  chimneys  with  barrel  tops,  which  the 
devil-may-care  fellows  in  the  darkness  of  midnight 
enjoyed  stopping  up,  to  smoke  the  inmates  out  just 
to  hear  them  "  cuss."  No  one  dreamed  that  an  event- 
ful battle  would  occur  before  gentle  spring  could 

no 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      111 

bring  blooms  and  beauty  and  glory  to  the  earth ;  but 
about  dawn  on  the  llth  two  loud  reports  of  heavy 
ordnance  pealed  out  from  Marye's  Heights,  and  re- 
verberated among  the  hills — the  signal  for  the  battle 
array  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

On  every  hand  the  drums  beat  to  arms,  and  we 
marched  down  the  plank  road  towards  the  doomed 
city,  until  within  a  short  distance,  when  we  filed  to 
the  left  behind  a  hill,  where  the  sharp  crack  of  the 
rifles  of  our  pickets,  in  their  gallant  efforts  to  drive 
back  General  Burnside's  pontooners,  could  be  dis- 
tinctly heard. 

Marge's  Hill  was  only  a  short  distance  to  our 
right  front.  The  stone  wall  in  front  of  it  was  held 
by  the  brigades  of  Cobb  and  Kershaw,  of  McLaw's 
Division.  The  public  road  was  cut  through  the  foot 
of  the  hill,  with  this  wall  next  to  the  city,  and  from 
the  top  of  the  wall  the  land  sloped  gradually  to  the 
river,  and  therefore  the  wall  was  protected  from 
the  artillery  of  the  enemy  on  Stafford's  Heights  by 
the  natural  slope  of  the  land.  On  the  semicircular 
crest  above,  and  stretching  on  either  hand,  was  the 
corps  of  Longstreet.  The  two  brigades  behind  the 
stone  wall  held  the  most  advanced  position  of  our 
army.  Our  Mahone's  Brigade,  in  reserve,  formed 
the  left  of  the  corps.  Three  desperate  attempts  to 
throw  a  pontoon  bridge  across  the  river  were  de- 
feated by  Barksdale's  brave  Mississippians,  and  then 
Burnside,  about  10  o'clock  A.  M.,  commenced  the  bom- 
bardment of  the  town  with  147  guns,  and  each  gun 
fired  fifty  rounds — a  grand,  magnificent  spectacle, 
but  a  cruel  and  heartless  work  of  destruction.  For 
several  hours  the  fire  was  incessant,  and  the  sharp 


112      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

crack  of  the  rifled  guns  and  the  heavy  boom  of  the 
larger  ordnance  mingled  with  the  echoes  from  the 
woods  and  hills,  until  we  could  no  longer  distinguish 
separate  sounds,  and  the  roar  became  continuous ; 
clouds  of  smoke  rolled  back  from  the  massed  artil- 
lery, the  air  became  loaded  with  the  odor  of  gunpow- 
der, the  fog  was  heavy  over  the  river,  the  water  mar- 
gins, the  lowlands,  and  the  city  were  hidden  from 
view.  One  of  the  church  spires  shot  up  through  the 
mist,  glittering  in  the  sunlight,  and  a  few  of  the 
tallest  chimneys  and  buildings  struggled  into  sight. 
Tons  of  iron  were  hurled  into  the  town :  shells,  solid 
shot,  shrapnel,  and  canister  raked  and  swept  the 
streets.  We  'Could  hear  the  walls  crumbling  and  tim- 
bers crashing;  then  a  pillar  of  smoke  would  rise  up 
above  the  fog,  another  and  another,  increasing  in 
density  and  volume,  ascending  skyward  and  hanging 
over  the  doomed  city  like  a  pall.  Flames  leaped  high 
out  of  the  mist — the  city  was  on  fire! 

The  fourth  attempt  was  made  by  the  enemy  to 
bridge  the  Rappahannock,  but  the  Mississippians 
were  steady  amid  the  hell  of  shot  and  shell  and 
flames,  and  met  them  at  the  brink  of  the  river  with 
steady  rifles,  which  again  made  the  invaders  recoil. 
Finally  three  regiments  embarked  in  boats,  and  these, 
after  a  desperate  struggle  with  our  pickets,  effected  a 
foothold,  which  gave  them  the  opportunity  to  con- 
struct their  bridge ;  but  the  wrecked  city  was  not  yet 
captured.  No  troops  ever  made  a  more  determined 
and  heroic  stand  in  such  an  unfavorable  locality 
against  such  great  odds,  as  the  one  brigade  which 
held  our  outposts  along  the  river  bank.  The  first  sol- 
diers of  the  enemy  who  crossed  over  that  bridge  had  to 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      113 

fight  for  every  foot  of  ground,  and  it  was  not  until 
dark,  and  after  a  sharp  contest  through  the  streets, 
lanes,  and  alleys,  met  at  every  step  by  the  fire  of 
Barksdale's  men  from  every  available  point,  that  the 
enemy  halted  for  the  night  on  Carolina  Street.  The 
dead  were  everywhere,  in  the  streets,  in  the  cellar 
doors,  in  the  yards  of  the  houses,  in  the  gardens  by 
the  river,  silent  as  the  water.  Some  of  the  citizens  re- 
mained in  the  city  during  the  bombardment,  taking 
refuge  in  the  cellars  and  some  of  them  were  killed. 

During  all  these  terrible  hours  our  regiment  lay 
on  its  arms  behind  the  ridge,  and  sometimes  an  elon- 
gated shell  from  the  heavy  siege  guns  on  Stafford 
Heights  would  roll  carelessly  down  the  side  of  the 
hill,  in  uncomfortable  proximity.  On  the  morning  of 
December  12  the  body  of  Burnside's  army  com- 
menced crossing  on  the  pontoons  into  the  city,  and 
that  day  was  consumed  in  maneuvering  for  their  as- 
saults the  next  day. 

The  cannonading  was  continued  through  the  night. 
Fires  still  lit  up  portions  of  the  town,  the  firmament 
was  aglow  with  a  magnificent  aurora  borealis,  the 
artillery  strove  to  rival  the  glories  of  nature  and  illu- 
minated the  sky  with  scores  of  shells  whose  trailing 
fuses  filled  the  air  with  streams  of  light,  as  grand  and 
beautiful  as  a  shower  of  meteors.  Next  morning  one 
hundred  thousand  Federals  were  in  battle  array,  and 
about  half-past  seven  o'clock  they  advanced  on  the 
right  of  our  army  at  Hamilton's  Crossing.  This 
movement  was  gloriously  repulsed,  resulting  in  a 
great  victory  for  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  "  the  gal- 
lant Pelham  "  there  won  that  undying  name  from 
the  lips  of  Lee.  About  noon  Meagher  led  his  cele- 


114      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

brated  Irish  brigade  to  its  desperate  charge  on  the 
stone  wall,  and  then  the  thunder  of  cannon  and  roar 
of  musketry  poured  out  the  hail  of  death,  and  the 
smoke  rose  from  the  valley  of  the  Rappahannock  in 
heavy  and  ominous  clouds  as  if  from  the  vale  of 
Tophet.  Scores  of  his  brave  men  fell  at  every  pace, 
but  the  living  pressed  onward  until  within  a  few  yards 
of  our  stone  wall,  then  too  few  were  left  to  make  a 
step  further  forward.  Again  and  again  fresh  col- 
umns moved  on  to  the  charge,  as  if  numberless  battal- 
ions of  men  had  determined  to  rush  onward  through 
the  jaws  of  death  until  all  were  dead,  or  the  hill  cap- 
tured. 

Some  officers  (who  had  never  before  doubted  the 
prowess  of  our  arms),  witnessing  these  assaults  from 
a  distant  hill,  for  the  first  time  trembled  for  the  cause 
of  the  South;  but  they  saw  no  faltering  in  our  in- 
fantry line,  no  cessation  by  our  batteries  on  the  hill, 
and  as  many  times  as  the  hosts  of  the  enemy  swept 
forward  with  their  rows  of  glittering  bayonets  and 
flaunting  flags,  so  many  times  did  their  lines  wave 
like  corn  in  a  cyclone,  recoil,  then  break,  and  fall 
back  amid  the  shouts  and  yells  of  the  brigades  of 
Cobb  and  Kershaw.  Georgia  and  South  Carolina 
won  the  glories  of  that  day. 

Hancock  and  French  charged,  passing  the  farthest 
point  reached  by  the  preceding  troops,  impetuously 
rushing  on,  past  the  brick  house  so  conspicuous  on 
the  field,  on,  on,  until  their  flags  waved  within  twenty- 
five  feet  of  the  fatal  stone  wall.  More  than  half  their 
numbers  killed  and  wounded,  the  line  faltered  under 
the  murderous  fire  and  retreated  to  cover.  Thus 
ended  the  carnage  for  a  time,  but  a  long,  long,  long, 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      115 

dreadful  afternoon  awaited  the  thousands  of  wounded 
who  lay  scattered  over  the  sad  and  ghastly  field,  for 
the  only  protection  for  them  was  that  brick  house 
not  very  far  from  the  stone  wall.  To  this  house  hun- 
dreds of  the  wounded  dragged  themselves,  and  a 
great  mass  of  sufferers  huddled  together  and  strug- 
gled to  get  near  the  house  to  escape  the  fire  of  our 
infantry. 

All  around  great  heaps  of  dead  bore  testimony  of 
the  fierceness  of  the  battle,  and  they  laid  in  successive 
alignments  as  they  fell  in  their  desperate  charge 
toward  the  stone  wall.  A  color  bearer  lay  stark  and 
dead  with  the  flag  of  his  regiment  covering  him, 
while  just  in  front  of  the  stone  wall  lay  a  line  of 
soldiers  of  the  Irish  brigade,  with  the  green  boxwood 
in  their  caps,  sleeping  their  last  sleep  in  the  dressed 
fore-front  line  of  battle.  Leaning  against  a  wooden 
shanty  off  to  the  left  of  this  house  in  a  standing  po- 
sition was  a  soldier  stark  and  cold,  struck  through 
the  brain  by  a  bullet  as  he  looked  towards  our  line 
from  his  cover  behind  the  shanty. 

A  Northern  soldier  who  was  in  the  charge,  describ- 
ing the  scene,  said :  "  Every  little  while  we  could  see 
other  columns  emerge  from  the  city,  deploy  upon  the 
plain,  march  forward,  but  never  go  so  far  as  the 
brick  house.  The  appearance  of  these  troops  would 
draw  the  fire  of  the  batteries  on  the  hills  above  us, 
and  hundreds  of  deadly  projectiles  would  go  scream- 
ing over  us,  and  we  could  see  them  bursting  in  the 
midst  of  our  friends. 

"  Evening  came  at  last ;  the  sun  went  down  behind 
the  terrible  heights,  and  we  anxiously  watched  the 
shadows  lengthen  and  steal  across  the  field  of  blood, 


116      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

creeping  slowly  over  the  plain,  through  the  houses  of 
the  city  in  the  shade,  then  up  the  church  tower,  until 
the  only  object  that  reflected  the  rays  was  the  cross 
of  burnished  gold  which  sparkled  a  moment  against 
the  purple  sky,  and  then  the  twilight  was  upon  us 
and  deepened  until  it  was  difficult  to  discern  objects. 
We  thought  the  battle  ended,  when  through  the  dark- 
ness loomed  up  the  division  of  Hooker.  Nobly  they 
came  to  the  work,  with  empty  muskets  and  orders  to 
carry  the  position  with  the  bayonet.  The  dark  mass 
passed  the  brick  house  and  almost  to  the  point  that 
Hancock  had  reached,  for  they  had  come  up  through 
the  gloaming  unseen  and  surged  against  the  base  of 
Marye's  Heights.  Again  the  hills  flashed  fire,  again 
they  shook,  rocked,  roared,  and  belched  forth  more 
tons  of  iron  on  the  red  plain — more  minutes  of  use- 
less carnage.  The  somber  wave  rolled  back,  the  last 
and  most  absurd  attempt  of  the  disastrous  day  had 
come  to  naught,  and  seventeen  hundred  more  had  been 
added  to  the  ponderous  list  of  casualties. 

"  Clouds  overshadowed  the  skies,  and  guided  by 
the  lurid  fires  still  smoldering  through  the  ebony 
darkness,  the  immense  throng  of  wounded  began 
crawling,  struggling,  dragging  themselves  towards 
the  city :  those  who  were  slightly  hurt  assisting  others 
who  were  more  seriously  injured;  those  with  shat- 
tered limbs  using  muskets  for  crutches,  many  faint- 
ing and  falling  by  the  way.  And  when  in  town  how 
hard  it  was  to  find  a  spot  to  rest  or  a  surgeon  to  bind 
up  the  wounds !  There  were  more  wounded  than  the 
city  had  inhabitants,  and  every  public  hall  and  every 
house  was  filled  to  overflowing,  the  porches  of  the 
residences  covered  with  bleeding  men,  the  surgeons 


busy  everywhere.  .  .  .  Nine  thousand  the  tale 
of  the  wounded — nine  thousand  and  not  all  told." 

Yes,  the  Federal  wounded  all  told  in  the  battle  of 
Fredericksburg  was  nine  thousand  and  six  hundred. 

The  loss  of  our  force  behind  the  stone  wall  was 
insignificant,  but  the  chivalrous  Cobb,  over-anxious 
to  be  an  example  of  bravery  for  his  men,  unnecessa- 
rily exposed  himself  and  was  slain.  The  position  held 
by  our  troops  was  not  only  impregnable,  but  afforded 
almost  complete  protection  from  the  shells  and  bul- 
lets of  our  assailants.  The  night  was  dark  and 
dreary,  for  I  well  remember  it.  Although  the  bloody 
work  had  ceased  and  the  victory  was  ours,  no  one 
knew  at  what  moment  the  desperate  and  reckless  com- 
mander on  Stafford  Heights  would  summon  fresh 
legions  and  hurl  them  against  the  stone  wall.  The 
lull  of  the  brazen-throated  monsters  of  war  seemed 
to  bring  a  weird,  ominous  silence.  The  darkness, 
death,  and  stillness  broken  only  by  the  cries  of  the 
wounded  and  shrieks  of  the  dying  chilled  one  with 
terrible  apprehension  and  startling  dread. 

The  troops  who  had  borne  the  heat  and  burden  of 
the  day  had  to  be  relieved,  and  our  brigade  was 
quietly  marched  in  and  silently  dressed  behind  the 
stone  wall,  which  had  that  day  been  made  famous  by 
the  slaughtered  thousands  now  dumb  and  dead  be- 
fore it.  Reports  of  the  movements  of  the  enemy  were 
quietly  discussed  all  along  our  line,  till  came  the 
rumor  that  our  artillery  was  to  be  opened  on  the  town 
for  a  time  and  a  corps  of  picked  men,  stripped  to  the 
waist,  were  to  charge  upon  the  place  and  drive  the 
defeated  enemy  into  the  river — all  of  which  brought 
unrest  and  desperate  dread.  But  the  night  passed 


118      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

without  event,  and  day  quietly  dawned  on  the  ghastly 
field  in  our  front.  There  was  no  renewal  of  the  bat- 
tle, and  the  nights  of  the  14th  and  15th  covered  the 
retreat  of  Burnside's  army  to  the  hills  of  Stafford, 
and  subsequently  our  picket  line  was  re-established 
on  the  shores  of  the  Rappahannock. 

And  now  passing  into  another  year,  just  four 
months  over  the  boundary,  .comes  the  great  battle  of 
Chancellorsville,  that  most  brilliant  strategic  vic- 
tory of  the  war  between  the  Dis-United  States — a 
battle  in  which  the  Northern  General  Hooker,  com- 
manding 132,000  men,  met  defeat  at  the  hands  of 
our  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  with  only  41,358  men,  a 
battle  in  which  over  21,000  were  killed  and  wounded. 

As  I  remember,  two  roads  led  from  Fredericksburg 
to  Chancellorsville — one  the  plank  road,  one  the  old 
dirt  road  or  turnpike.  Mahone's  Brigade,  to  which 
I  belonged,  marching  along  this  old  dirt  road  early 
on  the  morning  of  May  1,  1863,  was  thrown  across 
or  at  right  angles  to  it,  in  line  of  battle,  somewhere 
between  the  two  places  above  mentioned.  On  the 
left  side  of  the  road  was  an  old  church,  time-worn 
and  deserted  in  appearance.  Its  boards  were  paint- 
less,  weather-beaten,  storm-stained,  and  its  shingles 
wore  the  moss  of  age.  No  enclosure  surrounded  this 
unpretentious  tabernacle,  but  a  few  shrubby  trees 
grew  within  its  shadow  to  serve  as  hitching  posts  for 
the  horses  of  its  worshipers.  I  always  feel  that  such 
plain,  undecorated  structures,  where  the  tillers  of  the 
soil  gather  in  His  name,  are  sanctuaries  of  peace  and 
love,  higher  in  the  sight  of  the  Master  than  the  great 
cathedrals  which  display  grand  architectural  beauty 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      119 

on  the  avenues  of  wealth.  Soon  after  we  had  been 
settled  in  battle  array,  and  the  pickets  had  gone  for- 
ward to  the  firing  line,  all  in  sight  across  a  small  field, 
known  as  McCarty's  Farm,  Lee  and  Jackson  galloped 
up  and  halted  in  the  road  near  the  old  church,  whence 
they  observed  our  position  and  the  outposts  of 
Hooker's  army. 

You  have  seen  the  pictures  of  the  last  meeting  of 
Lee  and  Jackson.  While  I  am  not  sure,  I  believe  the 
artist  had  that  scene  near  the  old  church  in  his  mind 
when  he  painted  it.  I  shall  never  forget  it;  I  shall 
always  be  glad  that  I  saw  these  great  soldiers  and 
heard  their  voices  order  the  beginning  of  the  Jbattle 
of  Chancellorsville.  I  was  standing  on  the  roadside 
not  far  away  when  I  heard  General  Jackson  say,  "  I 
favor  an  immediate  advance,"  or  words  to  that  effect, 
when  General  Lee  ordered  our  commander  to  forward, 
and  the  two  generals  turned  their  horses  and  rode 
away.  I  saw  Jackson  no  more,  but  Lee  was  with  us 
next  day.  The  soldiers  were  inspired  by  the  presence 
of  their  two  greatest  leaders  and  moved  forward  in 
brilliant  style  to  meet  the  enemy,  who  resisted  stub- 
bornly, giving  way  sullenly  for  half  a  mile,  when  they 
made  a  desperate  stand.  The  bright  bayonets  glit- 
tering and  gleaming,  for  the  sun  now  shone  in  all  its 
glory,  the  lumbering  of  the  artillery,  the  sharp  crack 
of  the  pickets'  rifles,  the  puffing  and  drifting  smoke 
from  the  musket  muzzles  at  intervals  along  the  lines, 
were  but  too  significant  signs  of  the  bloody  work  at 
hand.  Sykes'  division  of  regulars  and  Meade's  old 
battery  of  artillery  were  advancing  in  our  front,  and 
but  a  moment  elapsed  before  the  roar  of  small  arms 
and  the  thunder  of  artillery  broke  a  slight  lull  in  the 


120      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

early  battle.  The  air  was  filled  with  shrieking  bullets 
and  screaming  shells,  and  the  volumes  of  smoke  made 
midnight  of  noonday.  The  fight  lasted  with  the  fury 
of  maddened  opponents  for  long  hours,  and  the  light 
of  day  closed  forever  on  the  eyes  of  many  brave  and 
gallant  men.  The  fiercest  period  of  the  contest  lasted 
probably  two  hours,  when  the  enemy  began  to  yield 
ground,  and  when  night  came  we  were  a  decided  dis- 
tance in  advance,  threatening  the  Chancellor  House, 
where  the  legions  of  Hooker  were  massed  for  the 
battle. 

We  slept  in  line  of  battle  on  our  arms,  and  at  day- 
light on  Saturday  we  moved  from  the  right  of  the 
turnpike,  over  the  plank  road,  to  a  temporary  earth- 
work on  the  north  side  of  the  Catharpin  Road.  All 
day  there  was  heavy  skirmishing  in  our  front,  and 
several  vigorous  charges  were  made  upon  the  enemy 
to  conceal  Jackson's  maneuver.  He  commenced  his 
last  and  most  wonderful  flank  movement  early  that 
morning,  and  Lee  listened  anxiously  through  every 
hour  of  the  day  for  the  roar  of  Jackson's  guns  on 
the  flank  of  the  enemy.  As  the  afternoon  wore  on  a 
sound  as  of  distant  thunder  was  heard,  and  many 
listened  to  discover  by  the  sound  the  fortune  of  the 
masterly  evolution.  General  Lee  rode  up  to  our 
front  and  inquired  if  it  could  be  distinguished 
whether  the  roar  of  the  battle  was  advancing  or  re- 
ceding. An  officer  replied,  "  Evidently  advancing, 
General." 

About  night  the  steadily  approaching  cannonade 
confirmed  the  success  of  the  maneuver — Jackson  had 
fallen  upon  the  enemy  unaware  and  rapidly  doubled 
their  flank  upon  the  center.  When  darkness  came 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      121 

he  halted  his  troops  to  re-line  his  columns,  and,  avail- 
ing himself  of  the  opportunity  to  survey  the  front, 
he  was  mistaken  for  an  enemy  and  shot  down  by  his 
own  soldiers.  This  irreparable  catastrophe  checked 
one  of  the  grandest  military  conceptions  in  the  an- 
nals of  the  war,  and  the  greatest  genius  of  the  Con- 
federate War  was  borne  bleeding,  mortally  wounded, 
from  the  field  of  victory.  He  died  on  May  10,  near 
half  a  'Century  ago,  and  on  that  lovely  Sabbath  day 
he  said,  "  Let  us  cross  over  the  river  and  rest  under 
the  shade  of  the  trees,"  and  his  soul  went  to  his  God. 

When  the  news  of  his  victory  came  to  us  on  the 
night  of  May  2,  many  shouts  for  its  success  arose 
for  a  time  from  rejoicing  hearts;  but  when  the  low 
whisper  crept  along  the  line,  and  declared  the  great 
and  irreparable  disaster, — our  general's  death, — the 
hearts  of  officers  and  soldiers  in  the  ranks  bled  as 
deeply  as  had  the  wounds  of  their  slain  captain,  and 
thousands  of  tear-filled  eyes  told  that  the  victory  of 
that  day  was  won — won  at  too  great  a  cost.  Lee  in 
his  anguish  declared :  "  I  have  lost  my  right  arm !  " 

Again  we  slept  on  our  arms,  and  at  dawn  on  Sun- 
day morning,  May  3,  our  whole  army  was  ordered 
to  make  a  general  advance.  General  A.  P.  Hill  being 
wounded,  General  Lee  ordered  General  "  Jeb  "  Stuart 
to  lead  Jackson's  corps.  He  made  a  desperate  onset, 
and  carried  the  fortifications  on  our  left,  McLaws 
with  his  heroic  division  drove  the  enemy  on  our  right, 
and  our  Anderson  swept  down  upon  their  center. 
The  formation  of  the  line  in  battle  order  was  only 
the  work  of  a  moment,  and  at  the  command,  "  For- 
ward ! "  our  men  impetuously  rushed  through  the 
woods  and  thick  undergrowth  up  to  and  over  the 


THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 


bristling  and  tangled  abatis,  and  headlong  into  the 
earthworks  of  the  enemy.  Their  batteries  fired  wildly 
and  their  shells  flew  high  over  our  heads.  Enveloped 
in  the  sulphur-laden  smoke,  which  had  densely  settled 
amongst  the  trees  and  over  the  field  in  front,  our 
yelling  soldiers  plunged  onward,  guided  by  the  quick, 
irregular  glare  of  the  cannon's  blaze,  the  cracking 
musketry  and  puffing  flames  of  exploding  shells,  heed- 
less of  the  cries  of  the  wounded  and  groans  of  the 
dying.  One  is  apt  to  be  scared  when  the  enemy  stands, 
or  advances  and  shoots ;  but  when  they  break  and 
run  there  is  an  indescribable,  exhilarating  delight 
which  makes  soldiers  happy,  and  now  we  broke  out 
in  the  wide  open-mouthed  exultant  whoop  which  the 
Yankees  called  the  "  Rebel  yell." 

The  flames  broke  out  from  the  celebrated  Chan- 
cellor House,  and  dense  blue  masses  of  men  there- 
about swayed  back  and  forth  in  utter  and  hopeless 
confusion.  A  battery  at  that  point  still  continued 
to  belch  its  fire  as  rapidly  as  the  gunners  could  ram 
home  the  charge,  but  its  shots  went  over  our  heads 
and  landed  far  in  the  rear.  Our  men  pressed  forward 
this  time  from  the  captured  earthworks,  and  dashing 
over  the  open  field,  in  the  usual  disorder  occasioned 
by  a  forest  charge,  for  there  was  no  time  to  re-form, 
they  reached  the  hotel,  now  enwrapped  in  roaring  and 
relentless  flames.  The  bluecoats  were  swept  back  as 
autumn  leaves  before  a  fierce  tornado,  and,  scattering 
in  groups,  they  wildly  retreated  through  the  bushes 
and  woods  towards  the  Rappahannock  River,  except 
two  brave  gunners,  who  stood  to  their  posts  and 
worked  their  solitary  gun  till  the  determined  hands  of 
the  victors  were  almost  upon  its  muzzle. 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      123 

Anderson's  men  brought  up  the  center  as  Stuart 
with  Jackson's  brave  battalions  came  rushing  for- 
ward upon  his  left  and  McLaws'  gallant  division 
swept  in  on  the  right,  all  uniting  on  the  field  in  the 
vicinity  of  Chancellor  House,  the  late  pivotal  center 
of  the  operations  of  Hooker's  grand  army.  Amid  the 
intensest  excitement  of  the  terrible  battle  a  great 
shout  of  victory  went  up  from  these  three  corps  of 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and  then,  just  as  the 
smoke  from  our  own  and  the  enemy's  guns  lifted 
from  the  heads  of  the  triumphant  legions,  General 
Lee  rode  up  on  his  war  horse  to  the  very  center  of  the 
broken  ranks  of  the  rejoicing  Confederates,  and  was 
greeted  by  a  great  simultaneous  outburst  of  yells 
from  many  thousand  throats,  such  shouts  as  only 
the  bounding  hearts  of  soldiers  prompt  and  joyful 
souls  draw  forth.  The  great  chieftain  lifted  his  hat 
in  recognition,  but  sat  upon  his  famous  horse  as  se- 
rene and  'Calm  as  if  on  a  holiday  review,  the  personi- 
fication of  magnificent  manhood.  Doubtless  his  bo- 
som heaved  with  gladness,  too,  but  the  goodness  of 
his  heart  checked  its  manifestation,  for  victory  ever 
lifted  his  thoughts  in  silent  prayer  to  God,  to  whom 
he  and  Jackson,  with  steady  Christian  faith,  inva- 
riably awarded  all  praise  and  glory. 

I  have  been  in  many  engagements,  and  have  par- 
ticipated in  six  of  the  twelve  greatest  battles  of  the 
war  between  the  States,  but  of  them  all,  Chancellors- 
ville  was  the  most  perfect  picture  of  war  that  I  ever 
saw.  I  stood  upon  the  plank  road  beyond  the  hotel 
while  our  troops  were  re-forming  after  their  wild 
exultation  over  the  triumph  and  the  heartfelt  greet- 
ing of  Lee,  and  looked,  for  a  short  while,  over  the 


124      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

captured  field.  The  Chancellor  House  was  enveloped 
in  flames — the  long,  lapping,  licking  tongues  of  fire, 
curling  before  a  strong  easterly  wind,  were  sweeping 
overhead.  Near  by  were  unlimbered  cannon,  muzzles 
blackened  with  powder  stain,  some  careened  on  crip- 
pled wheels,  some  altogether  wheelless  and  blood  be- 
spattered. The  limber  chests  were  broken  and  shat- 
tered by  explosions,  the  surviving  horses  were  run- 
ning wildly  about  the  bloody  field,  trampling  the  dead 
and  dying  under  hoof.  Some  of  these  animals  were 
frantic  with  broken  limbs,  while  others  lay  sprawling, 
gurgling  out  their  last  breath,  tossing  and  striking 
their  distracted  heads  against  the  ensanguined  earth. 
Dead  and  wounded  soldiers  were  scattered  all  over 
the  field. 

On  both  sides  of  the  road  were  strewn  loaves  of 
bread,  empty  haversacks,  broken  cartridge  bpxes, 
bushels  of  loose  hardtack,  hundreds  of  knapsacks, 
some  filled  with  clothes;  thousands  of  muskets, 
broken,  bent,  and  injured  in  many  ways,  and  thou- 
sands uninjured ;  bayonets,  pans,  plates,  broken  wag- 
ons, swords,  picks,  spades,  axes,  canteens,  and  tin 
buckets,  numberless,  all  without  order.  The  leaves 
of  the  trees  in  the  woods  around  were  rent  and  per- 
forated, the  limbs  bent,  as  could  have  been  done  only 
by  such  a  storm  of  lead  and  iron  hail.  The  bodies 
of  the  larger  trees  were  spotted  with  bullet  marks 
and  shivered  with  shot  and  shell,  while  the  shrubs  and 
vines  about  the  stumps  were  wilted,  warped,  and  bent, 
and  even  the  undergrowth  of  bushes  and  briars  was 
beaten  down  by  the  feet  of  the  soldiers  and  crushed 
by  the  fallen  limbs  of  the  trees.  The  utmost  confu- 
sion prevailed — rags,  torn  coats,  shirts,  pants,  socks, 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      125 

blankets,  tents,  drums,  fifes,  horns,  shoes,  and  other 
debris — all  thrown  aside  with  the  disregard  of  des- 
perate and  reckless  men.  The  stragglers  were  com- 
ing up  with  broad  smiles  on  their  faces,  while  the 
fast-retreating  enemy  occasionally  fired  a  parting 
shot,  with  the  sullen  grumness  of  defeat. 

Our  soldiers  hastily  re-formed  their  scattered  ranks 
and  the  head  of  the  column  was  pressed  forward  in 
pursuit.  Soon,  however,  the  movement  was  reversed 
and  the  victorious  columns  were  countermarched.  It 
had  been  decided  to  fall  upon  Sedgwick  at  the  Salem 
Church  before  sunset,  and  repeat  the  lesson  of  the 
morning.  That  night  our  troops  sent  up  another 
yell  of  victory. 

And  now,  passing  over  the  great  events  of  our 
Northern  invasion,  and  leaving  nearly  a  year  behind 
us,  again,  in  May,  when  flowers  put  forth  their  buds, 
perfuming  the  breezes,  and  "  the  whole  leafy  forest 
displayed  in  full  luxuriance  to  the  sighing  gales,"  we 
marched  down  from  the  hills  of  Orange  into  the 
green  wilderness  of  Spottsylvania,  which  was  already 
smoking  from  the  great  cannonless  battle  between  the 
infantry  of  Lee  and  Grant.  Here  Grant  commanded 
the  largest  army  ever  assembled  in  America.  Off  to 
the  right  of  the  road  we  were  deployed  in  line  of  bat- 
tle to  wait,  wait  for  the  order  to  forward !  What  an 
anxious  time! — to  wait,  wait  for  the  order, 
"  Charge !"  The  roaring  musketry  rolled  heavily 
on  our  left,  where  Grant,  the  hero  of  Donelson  and 
Vicksburg,  was  pressing  our  troops  so  hard  that  Gen- 
eral Lee  felt  the  moment  so  perilous  and  critical  that 
he  must  lead  the  charge  of  the  Texans. 


126      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

"  '  Follow  me !    Steady !    We'll  save  the  day ! ' 
This  was  what  he  seemed  to  say; 
And,  to  the  light  of  his  glorious  eye, 
The  bold  brigades  thus  made  reply: 

" '  We'll  go  forward,  but  you  must  go  back.' 

And  they  moved  not  an  inch  in  the  perilous  track; 

'  Go  to  the  rear,  we'll  send  them  to  h ! ' 

And  the  sound  of  the  battle  was  lost  in  their  yell. 

Turning  his  bridle,  Robert  Lee 

Rode  to  the  rear.    Like  the  waves  of  the  sea, 

Bursting  the  dykes  in  their  overflow, 

Madly  his  veterans  dashed  on  the  foe. 

"  And  backward  in  terror  that  foe  was  driven, 
His  banners  rent  and  his  columns  riven 
Wherever  the  tide  of  battle  rolled 
Over  the  wilderness,  wood,  and  wold." 

The  bullets  came  nipping  the  leaves  and  barking 
the  trees  around  us,  and  still  we  waited,  waited  on 
the  edge  of  the  forest  in  the  circle  of  battle.  Our 
sharpshooters  reported  that  regulars  from  the  West- 
ern army,  who  had  never  known  defeat,  were  in  front 
of  us,  behind  breastworks  improvised  from  old  logs 
and  dead  limbs.  The  order,  "  Charge !  "  was  given, 
and  onward  we  rushed  through  woods  and  bushes, 
firing  and  yelling,  driving  the  regulars  from  their 
works,  and  dashing  over  the  forest  fortress — the 
dead  leaves,  afire,  smoked  and  burned  in  our  faces, 
scorched  the  wounded  and  parched  the  dead.  Still 
onward,  onward,  till  the  confusion  from  the  tangled 
brush  and  briars  forced  a  halt  to  re-form  the  line. 
Now  Longstreet  and  Jenkins  rode  to  the  front,  drew 
the  fire  of  friends,  one  was  wounded  and  the  other 
was  killed — the  battle  of  that  day  was  over,  and 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA      127 

Grant  was  defeated.  Onward  we  strove,  fighting 
through  the  Wilderness,  where  General  Grant's  loss 
was  17,666  men  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  to 
Spottsylvania  Court  House,  where  his  loss  was 
18,396. 

It  was  May  11,  1864,  that  the  "  Grand  Old  Di- 
vision," now  commanded  by  Mahone,  had  a  hard 
day's  marching  getting  out  of  the  Wilderness,  arriv- 
ing at  Spottsylvania  Court  House  a  few  hours  before 
sunset.  The  enemy  had  planted  a  battery  in  a  strong 
position  on  his  right,  and  the  guns  were  smoking, 
and  sending  their  thundering  missiles  over  our  heads, 
every  one  almost  making  my  heart  jump  out  of  its 
place.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  Weisiger's  Brigade  to 
charge  the  position.  An  open  field  intervened,  and 
on  entering  it  the  brigade  was  carried  through  a  reg- 
ular brigade  drill,  performing  every  evolution  in 
beautiful  style,  while  the  shells  were  cracking  and 
bursting  overhead.  The  brave  veterans  dashed  for- 
ward with  their  bullet-riddled,  battle-smoked  ban- 
ners proudly  floating  above  them,  in  almost  perfect 
alignment,  until  it  was  discovered  that  the  battery 
could  not  be  reached,  on  account  of  an  intervening 
stream.  Then  "  Right  about  in  retreat "  was  per- 
formed as  orderly  and  perfectly  as  when  on  camp 
drill.  I  was  frightened,  but  forgot  myself  in  ad- 
miration of  the  gallant  brigade  to  which  I  belonged — 
my  pride  was  aroused,  and  it  is  pride  that  makes  some 
of  us  brave. 

About  twilight  we  were  ordered  in  position  on  the 
extreme  left  of  our  army,  which  we  fortified  during 
the  night.  Early  next  morning  marching  orders  were 
received — all  the  work  of  fortifying  to  be  lost,  as  it 


128      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

was  always,  for  our  men  never  had  an  opportunity  of 
receiving  a  charge  behind  breastworks  ;  and  we  moved 
to  the  right,  just  in  the  rear  of  the  line  of  battle,  on 
the  right  and  nearly  opposite  to  the  court  house 
building.  The  bloody  angle  had  been  captured  and 
Johnson  with  his  division  were  prisoners. 

This  was  the  morning  of  the  memorable  twelfth  day 
of  May,  1864,  the  day  of  the  great  battle  of  Spott- 
sylvania  Court  House.  As  our  men  lay  in  the  line  of 
battle  on  the  brow  of  a  slight  elevation  in  the  open 
field,  the  batteries  of  the  enemy  opened  a  terrific  fire, 
and  for  over  one  hour  we  were  subjected  to  the  severe 
ordeal  of  shot  and  shell,  and  several  soldiers  of  our 
regiment  were  wounded,  including  our  colonel.  I 
shall  always  remember  our  matchless  chieftain,  Lee, 
on  this  occasion.  Shot  and  shell  were  falling  all 
around  like  hailstones,  plowing  deep  in  the  earth  and 
scattering  pebbles  in  the  air,  but  he  rode  up  on  his 
famous  iron-gray  horse  to  survey  the  position  of  the 
enemy,  sat  there  the  peerless  soldier  in  his  saddle,  as 
faultless  in  symmetry  as  if  strung  with  iron  nerves, 
calm,  quiet,  and  indifferent  to  the  storm  of  death- 
dealing  missiles,  thinking  only  of  duty.  It  was  an 
awe-inspiring  scene,  and  I  am  sure  that  every  soldier 
there  remembers  how,  forgetting  self,  he  trembled 
and  prayed  for  the  life  of  Lee,  and  how  his  heart 
throbbed  with  joy  and  gratification  as  he  saw  the 
old  war-horse  reined  to  the  rear,  for  all  believed  that 
the  cause  of  a  dear  country  hung  on  the  life  of  the 
great  leader. 

About  one  o'clock  that  afternoon  we  moved  still 
farther  to  the  right  to  support  a  brigade  charging 
that  terrible  battery.  We  moved  forward  through 


BATTLES    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA       129 

the  woods  with  orders  not  to  fire,  as  friends  were  in 
the  front.  After  marching  some  distance,  a  line  of 
battle,  lying  down,  was  discovered  in  the  front,  only 
a  few  paces  distant,  and  we  halted,  supposing  it  was 
the  brigade  we  were  supporting;  but  we  soon  saw 
that  they  had  blue  coats,  whereupon  we  fired  a  volley, 
which  scattered  them  and  left  us  masters  of  the 
woods.  Again,  about  an  hour  before  sunset  we  suc- 
cessfully charged  earthworks,  still  farther  to  our 
right,  held  by  pickets,  and  this  closed  our  work  for 
the  day.  Next  day  we  moved  again  to  the  right,  and 
fortified,  to  remain  until  Grant  left  the  -county,  on 
May  20.  These  last  days  in  Spottsylvania  witnessed 
furious  fighting  and  tremendous  losses,  and  there 
commenced  the  last  great  struggle  against  over- 
whelming odds  for  the  life  of  the  Confederacy. 

Not  one  day  were  we  out  of  the  sound  of  musket 
or  cannon ;  not  one  day  out  of  danger  from  minie 
ball  or  shell  from  the  day  we  charged  over  the  burn- 
ing leaves  of  the  Wilderness  till  the  9th  of  April, 
1865.  There  was  a  continuous  thunder  and  blaze  of 
war  all  along  the  bloody  and  tortuous  tracks  of  hos- 
tile armies  from  Wilderness  to  Appomattox,  where 
our  banner  was  furled  forever. 

Furl  that  banner,  softly,  slowly, 
Treat  it  gently — it  is  holy — 

For  it  droops  above  the  dead: 
Touch  it  not,  unfold  it  never, 
Let  it  droop  there,  furled  forever, 

For  its  people's  hopes  are  dead. 


A   HISTORY   OF   THE    CRATER 

"  THE    FIELD     OF    BLOOD  " 

THE  mine  under  the  Confederate  fort  in  front  of 
Petersburg,  Va.,  was  constructed  by  the  Forty- 
Eighth  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Henry  Pleasants.  It  was  commenced  at 
twelve  o'clock  noon,  on  June  25,  1864. 

The  main  gallery,  510.8  feet  long,  was  completed 
on  July  17.  The  left  gallery,  37  feet  long,  was  fin- 
ished at  midnight  of  July  22,  and  the  right  lateral 
gallery,  38  feet  long,  at  6  P.  M.  July  23.  The 
amount  of  material  excavated  was  18,000  cubic  feet. 

The  charging  with  320  kegs  of  powder,  weighing 
about  25  pounds  each,  was  commenced  on  July  27 
at  4  p.  M.,  and  finished  at  10  p.  M.  The  tamping  was 
begun  at  10  p.  M.  July  27,  and  completed  at  6  P.  M. 
July  28. 

The  fuse  was  lighted  at  3:15  A.  M.  July  30,  but 
did  not  explode.  At  4:15  A.  M.  Lieutenant  Jacob 
Douty  and  Sergeant  Henry  Rees,  of  the  Forty- 
Eighth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  went  into  the  gal- 
lery and  found  that  the  fire  had  stopped  where  the 
fuses  were  spliced.  These  daring  men  relighted  it 
and  at  44  minutes  past  4  A.  M.  the  powder  exploded. 

This  was  under  Elliott's  Salient,  held  by  Pegram's 
Petersburg  Battery  of  four  guns,  and  the  Eighteenth 
and  Twenty-Second  South  Carolina  Regiments  of 
Elliott's  Brigade  occupied  the  parapets  in  the  fort 
and  the  earthworks  adjacent  to  it. 

130 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    CRATER      131 

The  earth  rocked  and  waved  from  the  explosion, 
and  then  went  up  a  great  cone-shaped  mass  of  earth, 
about  one  hundred  thousand  cubic  feet,  through  which 
the  exploding  powder  blazed  like  lightning  playing  in 
a  bank  of  clouds.  In  this  column  of  earth  and  fire 
were  seen  the  bodies  of  men,  arms,  legs,  pieces  of  tim- 
ber and  a  gun  carriage.  The  immense  rounded  pil- 
lar of  earth  and  dust,  flame  and  smoke,  rose  slowly 
some  two  hundred  feet  in  the  air — hanging  for  a  few 
seconds,  and  then  the  earth  dropped  in  a  great  rim 
around  the  excavation,  burying  the  dead  and  wounded 
men  who  had  been  hurled  up  in  the  blazing  column. 
As  the  dust  subsided  and  the  red  glare  of  the  blazing 
powder  died  out,  a  heavy  cloud  of  black  smoke  floated 
off  with  the  wind.  Two  cannon  were  thrown  out  in 
front  of  the  fort  and  only  6  men  out  of  28  men  and 
2  officers  of  Pegram's  Battery  escaped  alive  and 
unhurt. 

The  Twenty-Second  South  Carolina  Regiment  lost 
170  killed  and  wounded,  and  the  Eighteenth  South 
Carolina  Regiment  86,  of  whom  43  were  killed  and 
43  wounded. 

The  accounts  of  the  size  of  the  crater  vary,  but 
Colonel  Pleasants,  who  constructed  the  mine,  says: 
"  It  was  at  least  200  feet  long,  50  feet  wide  and  25 
feet  deep."  ("  Official  Records,"  series  1,  vol.  40, 
part  1,  page  558.) 

The  contour  of  the  excavation  was  in  the  shape 
of  a  long  Irish  potato,  the  sides  of  loose  pulverized 
sand  piled  up  precipitately,  from  which  projected 
huge  blocks  of  clay.  This  great  fresh  earthen  cavity 
was  like  the  mouth  of  a  volcano  with  a  rim  around 
about  twelve  feet  above  the  natural  land.  The  siege 


132      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

guns  and  field  batteries  on  both  sides  thundered  out 
and  rained  solid  shot  and  shell  like  hail  in  a  wind 
storm. 

As  soon  as  the  startling  effects  of  the  upheaval  had 
subsided,  our  troops  having  abandoned  the  vicinity, 
the  troops  of  Burnside  and  Ord  moved  forward  and 
occupied  the  crater,  about  200  yards  of  our  works 
to  the  north  and  50  yards  to  the  south,  as  well  as  a 
rear  line  or  trench  cavalier,  which  the  Confederates 
had  constructed  to  command  our  front  line,  and  the 
Federal  works  at  a  distance  of  from  150  to  200  yards 
in  our  front. 

The  troops  of  the  Ninth  and  Eighteenth  Federal 
Corps  held  these  places  until  the  advance  of  the  negro 
troops  started  out  of  the  trench  cavalier,  when  they 
were  charged  by  Mahone's  Brigade,  which  had  just 
formed  and  was  lying  down  in  a  ravine  about  200 
yards  below,  and  after  a  hand-to-hand  fight  the  Fed- 
erals were  driven  out  of  the  trench  cavalier,  and  then 
out  of  the  front  line  for  200  yards  up  to  the 
crater. 

Speaking  of  the  occupation  of  the  Crater  by  the 
Federals,  Colonel  W.  H.  Powell,  the  judge  advocate 
of  Ledlie's  division  says :  "  Little  did  these  men 
anticipate  what  they  would  see  upon  arriving  there; 
an  enormous  hole  in  the  ground  about  thirty  feet 
deep,  sixty  feet  wide,  and  one  hundred  and  seventy 
feet  long,  filled  with  dust,  great  blocks  of  clay,  guns, 
broken  carriages,  projecting  timbers,  and  men  buried 
in  various  ways — some  up  to  their  necks,  others  to 
their  waists,  and  some  with  only  their  feet  and  legs 
protruding  from  the  earth. 

"  One  of  these  near  me  was  pulled  out  and  he 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    CRATER      133 

proved  to  be  a  second  lieutenant  of  the  battery  which 
had  been  blown  up.  The  fresh  air  revived  him,  and 
he  was  soon  able  to  walk  and  talk.  He  was  very 
grateful  and  said  he  was  asleep  when  the  explosion 
took  place,  and  only  awoke  to  find  himself  wriggling 
up  in  the  air;  then,  a  few  seconds  afterwards,  he  felt 
himself  descending,  and  soon  lost  consciousness." 

When  the  explosion  occurred  Mahone's  Brigade 
occupied  breastworks  on  Wilcox's  farm  about  two 
miles  distant  in  a  direct  line ;  but  the  course  taken  to 
reach  the  ravine  gave  it  a  march  of  two  miles  and  a 
half  to  the  point  from  which  it  charged. 

It  is  well  known  that  soldiers  carry  all  their  chattel 
property  in  knapsacks  on  their  backs,  and  whenever 
ordered  to  march  all  things  go  along  with  them. 

So  when  we  were  ordered  to  get  out  of  the  works, 
about  an  hour  after  the  eruption  of  the  powder 
volcano,  scattering  back  to  a  cornfield  to  deceive  the 
enemy  about  our  movements,  every  man  took  all  his 
property  along.  When  hid  from  the  enemy's  sight 
the  men  were  formed  in  regiments.  Colonel  George  T. 
Rogers  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Harry  W.  William- 
son, commanded  the  Sixth  Regiment,  Major  R.  H. 
Jones,  the  Twelfth  Regiment;  Lieutenant-Colonel 
R.  O.  Whitehead  and  Major  John  T.  Woodhouse, 
the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Major  William  H.  Ether- 
edge,  the  Forty-first  Regiment  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  William  H.  Stewart,  the  Sixty-first  Regi- 
ment. Colonel  David  A.  Weisiger  of  the  Twelfth 
Regiment  commanded  the  Brigade  and  Brigadier- 
General  William  Mahone  commanded  Anderson's 
Division. 

The    Brigade     followed    by    Wright's     Georgia 


THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 


Brigade  then  marched  towards  the  "  blow  up  "  ; 
reaching  a  field  where  some  apple  trees  stood,  the 
men  were  ordered  to  throw  off  their  knapsacks, 
blanket  rolls  and  other  luggage,  placing  them  in  piles 
to  be  guarded  by  details  from  the  sick  and  weakly 
men.  Then  with  only  muskets  and  cartridge  boxes, 
the  men  knew  they  had  stripped  for  the  fight.  Thence 
marching  on  the  banks  of  Lieutenant  Run  with  hills 
to  our  right  for  protection  against  cannonballs  and 
bombshells,  finally  going  into  a  covered  way  and 
debouching  into  the  ravine,  we  filed  into  line  of  battle, 
advanced  a  few  yards  up  the  slope  of  the  ravine  and 
were  ordered  to  lie  down. 

Here  the  commanders  of  regiments  gave  directions 
to  the  men,  cautioning  them  to  rush  with  arms  at  trail 
and  not  to  fire  until  they  reached  the  ditch  occupied 
by  the  enemy,  then  fire  one  volley,  and  use  the  bayo- 
net and  butt. 

We  could  see  that  our  works  were  crowded  with 
troops,  and  their  beautiful  silken  banners  were  float- 
ing over  rows  of  glistening  steel  bayonets.  I  com- 
manded the  center  regiment  of  the  brigade  and 
counting  seven  flags  in  its  front,  I  said  :  "  Boys,  we 
must  have  all  of  those  flags,"  and  they  did  take  five 
of  them. 

While  waiting  for  the  Georgia  Brigade  to  form  on 
our  right,  just  as  its  head  was  coming  out  of  the 
covered  way,  the  negro  regiments  fronting  us  started 
forward  from  the  trench  cavalier  —  then  "  Forward  " 
was  shouted,  and  every  man  sprang  to  his  feet  and 
rushed  up-hill  two  hundred  yards  without  firing  a 
gun,  in  the  face  of  furious  fusillades  from  the  crater. 
When  at  the  brink  of  the  trench  cavalier  the  negroes 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    CRATER      135 

cried    no    quarter,    our    line    fired    one    volley    and 
jumped  in. 

"  Hand  to  hand,  and  foot  to  foot; 
Nothing  there,  save  death,  was  mute; 
Stroke,  and  thrust,  and  flash,  and  cry 
For  quarter,  or  for  victory, 
Mingle  there  with  volleying  thunder." 

Men  fell  so  fast  and  thick  that  the  dead  and 
wounded  were,  trampled  by  the  fighters ;  and  pools  of 
blood  made  red  mud  in  the  trenches  shoe-sole  deep.  It 
was  quick  and  desperate  work,  but  the  victory  was 
ours.  Captain  W.  Gordon  McCabe,  whose  battery 
had  unlimbered  on  Blanford  heights,  and  was  looking 
on  from  the  Gee  House,  said :  "  From  this  position  I 
saw  Mahone's  men  lying  down  in  the  ravine ;  I  saw 
no  troops  to  the  right  or  left.  Suddenly  they  jumped 
up  and  with  a  wild  yell  charged  and  carried  the  posi- 
tion occupied  by  the  enemy  north  of  the  crater.  I 
never  saw  a  thing  done  so  quickly." 

Our  men  were  maddened  and  wild  with  rage — deep 
and  loud  curses  were  hissed  between  clinched  teeth  as 
bayonets  were  thrust  into  men  and  drawn  from  the 
bleeding  bodies  of  the  dying  or  as  the  butt  thud 
brought  strong  men  to  their  knees.  There  were  all 
around  daring  acts  of  nerve  and  bravery.  The  odds 
were  heavily  against  us,  but  the  fire  of  determination 
and  desperation  was  strongest  in  our  men  and  they 
won  the  field  of  blood. 

Listen  to  the  evidence  of  those  who  fought  against 
us: 

Colonel  H.  G.  Thomas,  who  commanded  the  second 
negro  brigade  of  Burnside's  corps,  says :  "  Whether 


136      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

we  fought  well  or  not,  the  scores  of  our  dead  lying  as 
thick  as  if  mowed  down  by  the  hand  of  some  mighty 
reaper  and  the  terrible  loss  of  officers  can  best 
attest."  ("  Official  reports,"  idem,  page  599.) 

Burnside  says  that  the  colored  Fourth  Division  was 
disorganized  by  passing  the  pits,  crowded  with  men 
of  other  divisions,  re-formed  as  well  as  possible 
beyond  the  crater  and  attempted  to  take  the  hill; 
that  they  were  met  at  the  outset  by  a  counter-charge 
of  the  enemy,  broke  in  disorder  to  the  rear,  passed 
through  the  crater  and  lines  on  the  right,  throwing 
into  confusion  and  drawing  off  with  them  many  of 
the  white  troops,  and  ran  into  their  own  lines ;  and 
further  says :  "  The  enemy  regained  a  portion  of 
his  lines  on  the  right.  This  was  about  8:45  A.  M. 
But  not  all  the  colored  troops  retired ;  some  held  the 
pits,  from  behind  which  they  had  advanced,  severely 
checking  the  enemy  till  they  were  nearly  all  killed." 
("  Official  Records,"  idem,  page  528.) 

This  counter-charge  spoken  of  by  General  Burn- 
side  was  made  by  Mahone's  Brigade,  and  of  its 
desperate  fight  after  reaching  the  trench  cavalier, 
Captain  Theodore  Gregg,  of  Company  F,  Forty-fifth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Veteran  Volunteers,  says: 
"A  major  of  one  of  the  negro  regiments  placed  his 
colors  on  the  crest  of  the  crater,  and  the  negro  troops 
opened  a  heavy  fire  on  the  rebels,  who  were  at  that 
time  charging  on  the  ruined  fort.  In  a  few  moments 
the  rebel  force,  headed  by  several  desperate  officers, 
dashed  into  the  pits  among  us,  where  a  desperate 
hand  to  hand  conflict  ensued,  both  parties  using  their 
bayonets  and  clubbing  their  muskets.  .  .  .  Many 
of  our  men  being  killed  and  wounded,  and  the  enemy 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    CRATER      137 

pressing  us  hard,  we  were  compelled  to  fall  back  into 
the  crater  in  order  to  save  our  little  band."  ("  Official 
Reports,"  idem,  page  554.) 

The  Federal  General  R.  B.  Potter  says :  "  Shortly 
after  the  arrival  of  the  colored  troops  the  enemy 
made  an  assault  on  us,  when  these  trops  fled  in  con- 
fusion, sweeping  a  portion  of  my  line  back  into  the 
crater  and  pits  in  its  vicinity.  On  the  left  of  my  line, 
held  by  the  second  brigade,  my  troops  repulsed  the 
enemy's  assault  and  the  troops  of  the  first  brigade 
held  their  position.  The  assault  was  quickly  renewed 
and  the  fighting  was  hand  to  hand  and  desperate. 
One  regiment  lost  its  colors,  the  color  bearer  being 
wounded  and  taken  prisoner ;  the  colors  of  two  regi- 
ments were  entirely  torn  to  pieces  and  the  staves 
broken.  My  division  had  thus  far  suffered  severely. 
All  the  regimental  commanders  of  the  second  brigade, 
seven  in  number,  were  disabled,  three  killed  and  four 
mortally  wounded  and  one  of  the  latter  a  prisoner. 
No  regiment  had  an  officer  left  of  higher  rank  than  a 
captain,  and  scarcely  four  hundred  effective  men 
were  left  in  the  brigade  who  were  now  forced  back 
into  the  crater  and  into  the  pits  on  the  right." 
("  Official  Records,"  idem,  page  548.) 

These  reports  tell  us  that  Mahone's  Brigade  had 
hard  hand  to  hand  fighting  to  drive  them  out  of  our 
trench  cavalier  and  our  main  line  north  of  the  crater ; 
but  it  will  be  observed  that  they  retreated  into  the 
crater  and  there  continued  the  fight.  The  gallant 
Colonel  Weisiger,  our  brigade  commander,  was 
wounded  in  the  charge,  and  the  command  developed 
on  Colonel  Rogers  of  the  Sixth  Regiment. 

The  Georgia  Brigade  twice  essayed  to  charge  the 


138       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

crater,  but  failed;  the  second  time  the  men  obliqued 
to  the  left,  deflecting  from  the  point,  coming  into  the 
works  already  held  by  Mahone's  Brigade.  General 
Mahone  came  into  the  works  which  we  held,  made  a 
careful  and  thorough  examination,  and  ordered  us  to 
keep  up  a  constant  and  sharp  fire  on  the  crater  and 
the  enemy's  works  in  our  front ;  then  he  went  out  and 
sent  in  Major  Haskell  with  two  small  mortars  to  drop 
shells  into  the  excavation,  and  one  of  these  tore  off 
General  Bartlett's  wooden  leg. 

Major  Haskell's  mortars  and  our  rifle  fire  on  the 
enemy  did  great  execution,  as  will  be  seen  from  the 
reports  of  the  Federal  officers,  and  although  orders 
to  retire  had  reached  them  they  were  unable  to  obey 
on  account  of  our  raking  rifle  fire,  which  swept  the 
space  between  the  crater  and  their  main  line. 

Captain  Gregg  says  that  he  found  General  Bartlett 
inside  the  crater  and  told  him  that  we  had  gained  the 
entrenchments  on  the  right  of  the  fort  and  were 
preparing  to  drive  them  out  of  the  crater. 

"  Through  the  exertions  of  General  Bartlett, 
myself,  and  other  officers  we  succeeded  in  forming 
most  of  the  men  around  the  crest  of  the  crater  and 
all  were  determined  to  defend  the  fort  to  the  last. 
The  crest  of  the  fort  was  swept  with  canister  and 
grape  shot  from  the  batteries  of  the  enemy.  In  the 
meantime  the  enemy  opened  a  heavy  bombardment 
with  their  mortar  batteries.  They  had  perfect  range 
of  the  crater;  therefore,  almost  every  shell  exploded 
in  the  midst  of  the  dense  mass  of  men,  killing  and 
wounding  many  of  our  brave  soldiers  at  every  ex- 
plosion. [These  were  evidently  Haskell's  mortar 
shells.]  It  appeared  in  a  short  time  impossible  to 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    CRATER      139 

hold  the  fort,  as  our  men  were  overcome  with  excessive 
heat,  and  the  negroes  were  almost  destitute  of 
ammunition. 

"  We  succeeded  in  getting  several  hundred  rounds 
from  the  dead  and  wounded  in  the  fort.  ...  I 
was  ordered  by  General  Bartlett  to  have  a  stand  of 
colors  placed  on  the  fort  to  show  our  friends  our 
position.  At  one  o'clock  p.  M  the  bottom,  sides  and 
nearly  all  parts  of  the  crater  were  strewn  with  the 
dead,  dying,  and  wounded  soldiers,  causing  pools  of 
blood  to  be  formed  at  the  bottom  of  the  crater." 
("Official  Reports,"  idem,  page  555.) 

Captain  Gregg  left  the  crater  just  before  it  was 
captured,  saying  that  the  loss  of  life  was  terrible. 
"  There  was  death  below  as  well  as  above  the  ground 
in  the  crater.  It  seemed  impossible  to  maintain  life 
from  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun." 

Speaking  of  the  conditions  inside  the  crater  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Powell,  says :  "  There  was  no  means 
of  getting  the  food  or  water  to  them  for  which  they 
were  suffering.  The  midsummer  sun  shone  upon  their 
heads  until  waves  of  moisture  produced  by  the 
exhalation  from  this  mass  slowly  arose  in  perceptible 
horizontal  layers ;  wounded  men  died  there  begging 
piteously  for  a  drink  of  water — a  drop  of  which  was 
not  to  be  had,  for  the  men  had  long  since  drained 
their  canteens.  Soldiers  extended  their  tongues  to 
dampen  their  parched  lips  until  they  seemed  to  hang 
from  their  mouths  like  those  of  thirsty  dogs,  and 
yet  they  were  kept  waiting  in  this  almost  boiling 
cauldron,  suffering  with  thirst  and  worn  out  with 
their  all-night  preparations  and  their  fearful  morn- 
ing's work." 


140      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

About  the  hour  of  2  p.  M.  the  Alabama  Brigade 
under  General  John  C.  C.  Sanders,  with  colors  flying 
over  a  perfect  alignment,  rushed  uphill  from  the 
depression  from  which  we  had  charged  in  the  morning 
and  reached  the  rim  of  the  crater  in  good  order, 
driving  the  Federals  from  the  trenches  on  the  south, 
and  after  a  short  and  desperate  contest  over  the 
crater  forced  its  surrender. 

After  the  evacuation  I  went  down  into  the  excava- 
tion to  see  the  death-hole  which  had  belched  out  from 
the  bowels  of  that  hill  in  the  early  morning.  The 
bottom  was  layered  with  mangled  men,  the  dead 
trimmed  the  sides,  and  the  groaning  wounded  all 
about  cried  out  now  and  then  for  help  and  mercy. 
The  hot  sun  bore  hard  down  in  their  faces,  and  parch- 
ing thirst  forced  piteous  yells  for  water.  It  was  a 
veritable  inferno  filled  with  sounds  of  suffering  and 
paved  with  the  rigid  dead.  Horrible  to  look  upon 
and  impossible  for  description  to  picture. 

As  soon  as  possible  the  wounded  were  borne  out  to 
our  field  hospitals,  but  the  dead  had  to  be  buried  in 
the  pit ;  so  details  of  men  were  made  to  throw  those 
lying  on  the  sides  down  to  the  bottom  and  dirt  was 
shoveled  down  to  cover  the  hundreds  of  dead  in  the 
powder-dug  grave. 

The  crater  which  the  morning  sun  had  seen  them 
claim  as  victors  was  their  sunset  grave.  Alas,  for 
human  hopes ! 

How  many  had  Mahone  fought  with  his  three  bri- 
gades? The  "Official  Records"  must  answer:  Series 
1,  vol.  40,  part  1,  p.  178:  "  Ninth  corps,  July  81, 
9127  men";  p.  60:  "Lost  3584,  July  30";  p.  67: 
"  I  put  every  single  man  of  the  Ninth  corps  in  ac- 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    CRATER      141 

tion."  P.  83 :  "  Had  two  divisions  to  aid  in  the  as- 
sault, Ames  of  Eighteenth  corps,  with  3500  available 
muskets,  and  Turner  of  the  Tenth  corps,  with  4000 
muskets — 20,211  muskets.  Then,  three  corps,  Han- 
cock, Birney  and  Warren,  were  on  their  arms  in  sup- 
porting distance." 

Our  total  assaulting  force,  which  was  directed  in 
every  movement  by  General  William  Mahorte,  num- 
bered 1800  men,  rank  and  file.  It  captured  1101 
prisoners,  1965  small  arms,  19  flags — 15  by  Mahone's 
Brigade,  3  by  Sanders's  Brigade,  and  1  by  Wright's 
Brigade.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  between  five  and 
six  thousand. 

A  new  line  of  battle  was  adjusted  around  the  rim 
of  the  crater  next  to  the  Federals  and  each  side  kept 
up  continuous  rifle  firing,  forcing  the  soldiers  to  keep 
down  in  the  trenches  for  safety. 

Sunday  was  a  day  of  hot  sunshine  and  sickening 
odors  from  the  three  hundred  dead  lying  between  the 
hostile  lines.  Monday  morning  there  was  a  truce  of 
three  hours  to  bury  these  dead.  That  night  Ma- 
hone's  Brigade  was  relieved  and  silently  moved  out  of 
the  blood-soaked  trenches  to  return  to  the  fortifica- 
tion on  Wilcox  farm. 


THE  LIFE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  MATTHEW 
FONTAINE  MAURY. 

THE  force  of  noble  example  shines  for  us  as  an 
everlasting  Pharos,  directing  life  towards  the  stand- 
ard of  ideal  manhood.  The  young  man  who  begins 
life  with  goodness  in  his  heart  and  greatness  in  his 
mind,  guided  by  duty  as  his  polar  star,  will  grow  in 
wisdom  as  the  years  go  by,  and  scatter  rich  treasures 
along  the  pathway  of  those  who  follow.  If  you  de- 
sire to  mold  heroic  character,  to  make  a  character 
around  which  the  tendrils  of  the  unstained  heart  of 
youth  can  cling  unsoiled,  you  must  plant  your  first 
steps  upon  the  rock  of  truth,  and  carry  God's  ban- 
ner with  the  unfaltering  grasp  of  your  strong  right 
hand  to  the  goal  of  your  ambition.  Only  One  Life 
has  molded  a  perfect  model,  but  those  great  men 
who  have  watched  nearest  the  gateway  to  God's 
throne  are  highest  in  the  standard  of  manhood. 

I  am  here  to  present  one  of  the  great  men  of 
Virginia,  illustrious  as  a  scholar  and  scientist,  a 
patriot  of  unfaltering  courage,  a  man  for  the  glory 
of  manhood — a  man  for  the  love  of  Americans,  a  man 
worthy  of  the  gratitude  of  the  world — Matthew 
Fontaine  Maury.  His  life  was  marked  by  the  highest 
integrity,  the  strictest  honor,  the  most  attractive 
simplicity,  the  most  charming  modesty.  He  was 
always  and  everywhere  a  noble,  wise,  true  man, 
governed  by  the  exalted  sentiment  written  to  his 
mother  while  at  his  post  of  duty  on  the  high  seas: 

142 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      143 

"  My  greatest  ambition  is  to  be  a  useful  man  in  my 
day  and  generation." 

Oh,  young  men,  open  your  hearts  to  love  him ;  lift 
your  ambition  to  be  useful  men  in  ypur  day  and 
generation !  It  was  his  brain  that  sounded  the  depths 
of  science,  and  spread  the  knowledge,  without  price 
or  patent  right,  which  has  rescued  thousands  of 
human  lives  and  saved  incalculable  wealth  from  the 
bottomless  waters. 

Matthew  Fontaine  Maury  was  born  in  the  dawn  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  on  the  14th  day  of  January, 
1806.  He  was  born  in  the  county  named  for  the 
ablest  Colonial  Governor,  Alexander  Spotswood, 
whose  enterprising  hand  erected,  near  the  birthplace 
of  Maury,  the  first  iron  furnace  in  America ;  whose 
energy  led  to  the  discovery  of  a  passage  over  the 
Blue  Ridge,  when,  accompanied  by  John  Fontaine,  a 
kinsman  of  Maury,  and  other  brave  men,  they  were 
the  first  whites  who  ever  beheld  that  beautiful  valley 
— the  pride  and  glory  of  Virginia. 

In  Spottsylvania  County,  the  birthplace  of  John 
Forsythe  of  Georgia,  the  home  of  General  Hugh 
Mercer,  the  hero  martyr  of  Princeton's  bloody  battle- 
field; the  grave  of  Mary,  the  mother  of  Washing- 
ton ;  the  scene  of  four  of  the  greatest  battles  between 
the  Confederate  and  Union  armies ;  almost  in  the 
shadow  of  the  enchanted  castle  where  John  Fontaine 
received  his  golden  horseshoe  from  the  chivalric 
Spotswood ;  near  where  the  earth  drank  the  life  blood 
of  Stonewall  Jackson ;  was  the  first  home  of  Richard 
and  Diana  Minor  Maury,  parents  of  the  great 
"  Pathfinder  of  the  Seas." 

The  blood  of  Protestant  England  and  Huguenot 


144       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

France  coursed  in  the  veins  of  Maury.  Pride  of 
lineage  may  be  scorned,  but  surely  there  should 
exist  in  every  home  reasonable  regard  for  family 
traditions ;  and  the  beacon  lights  of  chivalric  ancestry 
should  blaze  the  way  along  the  pathway  of  the  lives 
of  children.  There  is  a  virtue  in  blood  that  stimu- 
lates the  energies  and  preserves  the  honor  of  men. 
Why  should  we  not  be  proud  of  forefathers  who  won 
fame  on  glorious  battlefields,  or  gained  immortal 
glory  in  a  Christian  martyr's  death? 

In  the  year  1563  in  the  ancient  province  of  Maine, 
near  the  borders  of  Normandy,  in  France,  Jean  Fon- 
taine and  his  wife,  ancestors  of  Maury,  were 
murdered  for  their  zealous  faith  in  our  Protestant 
religion ;  but  their  sons  survived,  to  rear  a  noble 
progeny. 

Maury  was  the  great-great-grandson  of  the  exile, 
Rev.  James  Fontaine,  whose  only  daughter,  Mary 
Ann  Fontaine,  married  Matthew  Maury. 

Rev.  James  Maury,  their  son,  was  the  Episcopal 
clergyman  and  teacher  in  Walker  Parish,  Albemarle 
County,  Va.,  who  numbered  among  his  pupils  three 
boys  who  were  afterwards  Presidents  of  these  United 
States — Jefferson,  Madison,  and  Monroe,  all  twice 
elected — and  five  signers  of  the  American  Declaration 
of  Independence. 

Richard  Maury,  his  son,  married  Diana,  daughter 
of  Major  John  Minor,  of  Carolina  County,  Virginia, 
in  1790,  and  twenty-one  years  afterwards,  when 
Matthew  was  in  his  fifth  year,  they  packed  all  of  their 
chattels  in  wagons,  left  their  Spottsylvania  home,  and 
emigrated  to  far  off  Tennessee.  They  settled  on  a 
farm  near  the  village  of  Franklin,  where  little 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      145 

Matthew,  as  he  grew  up,  hoed  cotton  and  plowed 
corn  and  attended  the  old  field  school  as  occasion 
permitted. 

Once  when  he  went  to  a  shop  of  a  neighborhood 
cobbler  (Neal),  he  saw  the  shoe  soles  scribbled  over 
with  little  "  x's  "  and  "  y's  "  and  this,  he  said,  first 
excited  his  ambition  to  become  a  mathematician.  In 
that  dingy  shop,  on  the  firm,  hammered  soles  of  the 
customers'  shoes,  this  humble  and  obscure  man  wrote 
lessons  which  inspired  the  plowboy  to  reach  out  for 
that  knowledge  which  was,  in  after  years,  to  make  his 
name  known  throughout  the  world. 

Accidentally  falling  from  a  tree,  he  was  so  injured 
as  to  be  unable  to  perform  farm  work,  and  then  his 
father  acceded  to  his  earnest  soli-citations  for  an 
education,  and  Maury  was  entered  as  a  pupil  in  the 
village  academy.  The  ambitious  youth  soon  gained 
the  friendship  of  his  teachers,  one  of  whom,  J.  H. 
Otey,  was  afterwards  Bishop  of  Tennessee  and  the 
other  an  eminent  lawyer  of  the  State  of  New  York 
(W.  C.  Hasbrouck).  Through  their  influence, 
rugged  Sam  Houston,  the  hero  of  Texan  independ- 
ence, then  Congressman  from  Tennessee,  had  Maury 
appointed  a  midshipman  in  the  United  States  navy 
(1825). 

Maury's  father  rather  disapproved  of  the  selection 
of  this  profession,  because  the  perils  of  the  sea  had 
already  claimed  his  eldest  son,  a  distinguished  officer 
in  the  naval  service.  Notwithstanding,  the  dauntless 
youth  of  nineteen  years  set  his  face  to  the  sunrise, 
and,  on  a  horse  bought  on  credit,  with  thirty  dollars 
in  his  pocket,  borrowed  from  his  under-teacher,  he 
rode  over  the  rugged  mountains  of  Tennessee  and 


146      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

southwest  Virginia,  along  the  bridle  paths  and  rocky 
roads  for  thirty  days. 

When  he  reached  a  cousin's  home,  near  where  the 
University  of  Virginia  now  stands,  he  had  fifty  cents 
in  his  pocket,  and  when  he  arrived  at  Fredericksburg 
this  was  reduced  to  twenty-five  cents.  He  there  sold 
his  horse,  and  sent  the  money  thus  obtained  to  his 
creditor  in  Tennessee. 

At  "  Laurel  Hill,"  the  home  of  his  aunt,  Mrs. 
Edward  Herndon,  in  Spottsylvania,  the  stout-hearted 
naval  cadet  first  met  the  little  maiden  who,  "  with 
eyes  that  look'd  into  the  very  soul,"  brought  love  to 
his  heart.  A  few  years  after,  while  in  New  York, 
he  sent  this  little  maid  a  little  glass  seal  with 
"  Mispah  "  engraved  on  it,  requesting  that  she  should 
always  use  it  in  writing  to  him. 

The  Naval  Academy  had  not  yet  been  established, 
therefore  the  young  cadet  had  to  commence  the  active 
duties  of  his  profession  on  the  deck  of  a  man-of-war, 
and  his  strict  attention  to  his  duties  soon  won  the 
respect  of  his  superior  officers. 

In  the  narrow  quarters  of  a  cadet,  and  assisted 
with  no  other  text-book  than  an  old  Spanish  work  on 
navigation  and  a  dictionary,  he  applied  himself  to 
the  task  of  acquiring  a  new  language  and  such 
nautical  information  as  it  contained.  He  chalked 
diagrams  in  spherical  trigonometry  on  the  round  shot 
in  the  quarterdeck  racks,  to  enable  him  to  utilize 
time  in  mastering  problems  while  pacing  to  and  fro, 
passing  and  repassing,  on  his  watch. 

The  Brandywine,  on  which  Midshipman  Maury 
made  his  first  cruise,  conveyed  La  Fayette  back  to 
France  after  his  visit  to  the  United  States.  From 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      147 

this  ship  Maury  was  ordered  to  the  Constitution,  then 
cruising  in  the  Mediterranean. 

On  his  third  cruise  (1831)  Maury's  attention  was 
taken  and  his  interest  aroused  by  the  curious 
phenomenon  of  "  The  low  barometer  off  Cape  Horn," 
and  it  was  upon  this  subject  that  he  wrote  his  first 
scientific  paper. 

When  he  returned  from  a  three  years'  cruise  in  the 
Pacific,  after  passing  his  examinations  he  went  to 
Fredericksburg  (1834)  and  was  married  to  Miss  Ann 
Herndon,  "  the  little  maid  "  whom  he  met  when  he 
came  first  to  Virginia.  She  was  the  sister  of  the  peer- 
less hero  and  noble  sailor,  Commander  William  Lewis 
Herndon,  who  sank  to  his  death  with  his  ill-fated  ship 
Central  America.  After  struggling  for  days  in  the 
tempest  with  his  leaking  ship,  after  saving  all  the 
women  and  children,  and  when  all  hope  had  perished, 
Herndon  went  to  his  stateroom,  put  on  the  full  uni- 
form of  an  American  naval  commander,  took  his 
stand  upon  the  wheel-house  and  lifted  hjs  cap  as  the 
ship  went  down. 

Quoting  my  hero :  "A  cry  arose  from  the  sea,  but 
not  from  his  lips.  The  waves  had  closed  about  him, 
and  the  curtain  of  night  was  drawn  over  one  of  the 
most  sublime  moral  spectacles  that  the  sea  ever 
saw." 

Maury  upon  the  occasion  of  his  marriage  gave  as 
a  fee  to  the  clergyman  who  performed  the  ceremony 
the  last  ten  dollars  he  had  in  the  world.  Soon  after 
his  marriage  he  left  for  Philadelphia  to  make 
arrangements  with  the  publisher  to  bring  out  his 
first  book  on  navigation,  and  here  his  struggles  with 
poverty  were  simply  heroic,  for  in  such  dire  straits 


148       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

was  he  that  he  was  forced  to  live  in  a  garret  room 
and  subsist  on  crackers  and  cheese. 

It  was  a  bold  step  for  an  officer  of  no  higher  grade 
than  a  passed  midshipman  to  write  a  book  on  nautical 
subjects,  but  it  made  its  way  in  spite  of  all  obstacles, 
and  was  favorably  noticed  by  the  highest  authorities 
in  England  and  France,  and  was  soon  made  a  text- 
book for  the  United  States  navy.  This  marked  a 
long  strjde  up  the  ladder  of  fame,  for  it  was  the  first 
nautical  work  of  science  to  come  from  the  pen  of  a 
naval  officer. 

Soon  after  this  work  on  navigation  was  published, 
Maury  was  attached,  as  astronomer  and  hydrog- 
rapher,  to  the  South  Sea  Exploring  Expedition, 
then  fitting  out  under  command  of  Commodore 
Catesby  Jones.  But  as  Captain  Wilkes  was  after- 
wards appointed  to  succeed  Commodore  Jones,  and 
as  it  was  understood  that  the  new  commander  wished 
to  reorganize  the  expedition,  Maury,  with  great 
delicacy,  resigned  his  position.  He  was  then  assigned 
the  duty  of  making  a  survey  of  southern  harbors,  in 
which  he  was  engaged  for  more  than  a  year,  when  he 
obtained  a  leave  of  absence  of  a  few  weeks  to  visit  his 
parents  in  Tennessee.  On  returning  to  New  York 
from  this  visit,  he  gave  up  his  seat  inside  of  the  stage 
coach  in  which  he  was  traveling  to  a  poor  woman  who 
could  not  stand  the  exposure  of  the  cold  night  air, 
and  while  riding  on  the  top  was  thrown  off,  and  his 
leg  broken  at  the  knee.  Bad  surgery  caused  him  to 
suffer  from  this  a  long  time,  and  lamed  him  for  life. 

While  confined  with  his  broken  limb  he  turned  his 
attention  to  writing  a  series  of  articles  on  "  Naval 
Reform,"  under  the  title  of  "  Scraps  from  the  Lucky 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      149 

Bag,"  which  were  published  (1836)  in  the  Southern 
Literary  Messenger,  under  the  signature  of  "  Harry 
Bluff."  He  at  this  time  urged  the  building  of  forts 
at  Key  West  and  Dry  Tortugas.  The  "  Scraps  from 
the  Lucky  Bag  "  attracted  so  much  attention,  and 
were  so  universally  approved  by  naval  men,  that  they 
had  large  numbers  of  the  papers  printed  and  circu- 
lated, although  the  author  was  unknown  to  them. 
When  it  was  learned  that  Maury  was  the  author,  his 
great  ability  was  generally  acknowledged,  and  he  was 
urged  to  accept  a  station  to  which  his  talents  en- 
titled him — namely,  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  Presi- 
dent Tyler's  cabinet.  This  he  modestly  refused,  and 
in  1842  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Depot  of 
Charts  and  Instruments  at  Washington.  This  office 
soon  developed  into  the  world-renowned  National 
Observatory  and  Hydrographic  Department  of  the 
United  States.  He  received  this  appointment  in  the 
seventeenth  year  of  his  service,  and  the  thirty-sixth 
year  of  his  age. 

In  1831  Maury  was  appointed  master  of  the  sloop- 
of-war  Falmouth,  and  ordered  to  the  Pacific  Station. 
Here  was  brought  home  to  him  his  need  for  explicit 
sailing  directions,  but  he  searched  in  vain  for  this 
information  as  to  the  winds  and  currents  to  be 
encountered  and  the  best  path  for  his  vessel.  He 
doubtless  then  resolved  to  supply  the  want,  for  on 
the  voyage  he  conceived  the  idea  of  the  celebrated 
"  Wind  and  Current  Charts  "  and  "  Sailing  Direc- 
tions "  which  have  accomplished  so  much  for  the 
commerce  of  the  world.  His  station  at  the  National 
Observatory  gave  him  the  opportunity  of  developing 
his  great  idea.  From  the  information  extracted 


150      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

by  hard  labor  from  the  old  log  books  which  had  been 
stored  away  as  rubbish,  and  from  data  made  by  him 
on  his  route  from  New  York  to  Rio  De  Janeiro, 
Brazil,  the  first  chart  of  his  series  and  the  first  sailing 
directions  were  made. 

They  were  unappreciated  at  first,  but  Captain 
John  J.  Jackson  of  the  Baltimore,  clipper  ship,  de- 
termined to  trust  the  new  chart,  and  follow  the  path 
directed.  The  experiment  was  a  wonderful  success, 
and  after  this  there  was  no  hesitation  about  the  use 
of  the  charts  and  sailing  directions.  An  active 
interest  in  Maury's  work  was  soon  excited  in  all  parts 
of  the  world,  and  the  originator  became  known  as  the 
great  "  Pathfinder  of  the  Seas." 

The  results  of  his  discovery  were  so  wonderful  that 
his  praises  were  sounded  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
Boston  merchants  offered  to  buy  a  ship  for  him  to 
try  new  routes,  and  President  Fillmore  and  the 
Secretaries  of  the  Navy,  Dobbin  and  Graham,  gave 
enthusiastic  expressions  of  approval,  and  resolutions 
were  offered  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States 
acknowledging  that  Maury's  discoveries  had  reflected 
honor  upon  himself  and  upon  his  country.  In  this 
day,  however,  he  is  denied  credit  by  the  United  States 
Navy  Department  for  his  genius,  because  what  should 
be  Maury's  charts  are  now  published  monthly  by  the 
Hydrographic  Office  under  the  name  of  the  United 
States  Pilot  Charts.  Julius  A.  M.  Palmer  of  Boston, 
in  our  centennial  year,  said :  "  We  find  absolutely 
but  one  name  worthy  of  mention  in  the  same  breath 
as  that  which  applauds  the  genius  of  Columbus — 
that  name  is,  Matthew  Fontaine  Maury.  No  less  a 
scholar  than  the  Hon.  Mellen  Chamberlain  remarked 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      151 

to  me  with  that  calmness  which  distinguishes  from 
impulse;  a  judicial  opinion:  '  I  do  not  suppose  that 
there  is  the  least  doubt  that  Maury  was  the  greatest 
man  America  has  ever  produced.' 

"  Such  judgment  does  not  ignore  the  discoveries 
of  all  our  eminent  men,  each  remarkable  in  the  field 
of  science  to  which  his  studies  were  devoted,  but  just 
as  Columbus  stands  by  himself,  a  creative  genius  in 
the  midst  of  many  others, — these  latter  perhaps 
having  given  to  the  world  good  works  as  abiding  as 
his, — so  with  all  that  has  been  done  for  America  by 
workers  in  steam,  in  telegraphy,  in  electrical  science, 
there  stands  over  and  above  them  all  the  creative 
genius  of  Maury.  Enter  any  library  and  discover  if 
you  can  what  was  known  of  the  trade  winds,  the 
monsoons,  the  Gulf  Stream,  the  prevailing  winds,  the 
currents  and  the  general  circulation  of  the  ocean, 
all  the  essentials  for  navigating  the  globe,  before 
the  day  of  Maury.  .  .  .  Could  you  by  miracle 
be  put  into  the  possession  of  all  that  was  known 
before  his  day,  ignoring  that  for  which  we  are  in  debt 
to  him  now,  it  would  be  comparatively  nothing. 
There  is  not  a  book  on  sailing  directions  published  in 
any  of  the  languages  of  civilization  but  what  is 
dependent  upon  Maury  for  its  facts  and  its 
principles." 

These  acknowledgments  of  justice  from  Northern 
men  should  send  a  thrill  of  delight  to  the  hearts  of 
Virginians  and  lift  us  to  hope  that  over  and  beyond 
the  veil  of  prejudice  which  has  covered  the  land  will 
come  the  recognition  deserved  by  the  greatest  man 
born  on  the  Western  Hemisphere. 

While  analyzing  and  tabulating  the  millions  of 


152      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

observations  that  were  reported  to  him  at  the  observa- 
tory, he  wrote  the  "  Physical  Geography  of  the  Sea," 
which  Humboldt  pronounced  one  of  the  most  charm- 
ing and  instructive  books  in  the  English  language. 
Twenty  editions  were  sold  in  England  alone,  and  it 
was  translated  in  six  different  languages. 

"  The  American  Scientist  "  attracted  so  much  at- 
tention, that  at  his  solicitation  a  congress  of  the  -chief 
nations  interested  in  commerce  was  called,  in  1853, 
at  Brussels,  under  the  auspices  of  King  Leopold, 
with  the  object  of  the  further  development  of 
meteorological  research,  which  resulted  in  recom- 
mending the  establishment  of  investigation  boards 
throughout  Europe  and  a  uniform  system  of 
observations.  Maury  also  insisted  that  the  same 
principle  was  applicable  to  the  land  as  to  the  sea. 

He  was  now  full  of  honors,  rich  in  fame,  and  the 
best-known  American  in  the  world.  Humboldt  de- 
clared that  he  had  founded  a  new  science,  and  John  C. 
Calhoun  said  "  he  was  a  man  of  great  thoughts." 
Sixteen  learned  societies  in  Europe  and  America 
made  him  honorary  member  of  their  bodies,  orders  of 
knighthood  were  offered  him,  and  many  medals  were 
struck  in  his  honor.  No  other  American  was  ever  so 
honored  by  foreign  potentates,  and  no  other  man  ever 
received  any  decorations  of  honor  with  more  becom- 
ing modesty. 

After  Maury  returned  from  Brussels  he  continued 
to  push  his  scheme  for  meteorological  co-operation 
on  land  as  well  as  on  sea.  He  was  the  originator  in 
design  and  detail  of  the  present  system  of  weather 
observation,  now  generally  taken  all  over  the  country. 

Maury  first  demonstrated  the  practicability  of  his 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      153 

grand  conception  of  harnessing  the  lightning  and 
coursing  it  along  the  floor  of  the  great  sea  from  the 
New  to  the  Old  World.  He  insisted  that  whenever  a 
survey  could  be  made  of  the  bottom  of  the  ocean 
between  Newfoundland  and  Ireland,  it  would  be 
ascertained  that  such  were  the  moderate  depths,  such 
the  perfect  repose  there,  and  absence  of  disturbing 
currents,  that  telegraphic  cables  could  be  as  safely 
and  successfully  laid  there  as  upon  land.  The  deep- 
sea  soundings  in  1849-50  established  the  truth  of  his 
predictions,  for  they  brought  up  little  shells  in  a 
perfect  state  of  preservation.  If  these  shells  could 
rest  on  the  bottom  of  the  sea  undisturbed  by  the 
waves  or  currents,  a  telegraphic  cable  once  laid  there 
would  remain  as  completely  beyond  the  reach  of  acci- 
dent as  it  would  be  if  buried  in  air-tight  cases. 

He  said  in  1850  that  the  true  character  of  a  cable 
for  the  deep  sea  should  not  be  an  iron  rope  as  large 
as  a  man's  arm,  but  a  simple  copper  wire  coated  with 
gutta  percha,  and  not  larger  than  a  lady's  finger. 
After  two  disastrous  failures  of  other  plans,  Maury's 
ideas  were  accepted,  and  carried  into  effect  with 
success. 

At  a  dinner  given  in  New  York  in  1858  to  cele- 
brate the  arrival  of  the  first  message  by  the  submarine 
cable  across  the  Atlantic,  Cyrus  W.  Field  said: 
"  Maury  furnished  the  brains,  England  gave  the 
money,  and  I  did  the  work." 

In  1855  he  published  a  chart  with  two  lanes  laid 
down,  each  twenty-five  miles  broad,  for  the  use  of 
steamships  in  going  and  returning  across  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  to  avoid  the  danger  of  collisions  in  fogs. 
These  were  generally  adopted  by  larger  steamship 


154      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

companies,  and  in  consequence  of  their  satisfaction 
the  merchants  and  underwriters  of  New  York  pre- 
sented him  with  five  thousand  dollars  in  gold  and  a 
handsome  silver  service. 

When  the  war  between  the  North  and  the  South 
opened  it  found  the  famous  scientist  in  the  midst  of 
his  useful  labors.  The  National  Observatory  under 
his  wise  management  was  daily  increasing  its  useful- 
ness— from  nothing  it  had  leaped  into  the  foremost 
rank  of  all  nations. 

He  had  been  long  engaged  on  a  work  enti- 
tled "  Astronomical  Observations — Cataloguing  the 
Stars,"  which  was  progressing  satisfactorily ;  and 
other  projects  for  the  advancement  of  science  seemed 
on  the  point  of  realization  when  the  war  came,  like 
the  rushing  of  mighty  winds,  to  sweep  all  in  ruin. 

He  made  earnest  efforts  and  eloquent  appeals  to 
Northern  statesmen  to  throw  their  influence  in  the 
breach  to  avert  war,  for  he  was  a  man  of  peace,  a 
student  and  philosopher — opposed  to  the  war.  But 
when  Virginia  called  for  her  sons  he  turned  his  back 
upon  his  'Congenial  scientific  labors,  upon  all  plans 
that  he  had  organized  for  the  good  of  mankind,  and 
all  his  splendid  discoveries  and  achievements  were 
sacrificed  to  the  inexorable  law  of  duty,  though  his 
heart  was  torn  by  terrible  throes  at  this,  his  noblest, 
greatest,  act  of  self-sacrifice. 

Admiral  Fitz  Roy  of  the  British  navy  said :  "  One 
of  his  most  distinguishing  traits  was  personal  dis- 
interestedness." Yes ;  his  self-f orgetfulness  was  a 
crowning  virtue  of  his  life.  He  had  every  inducement 
to  remain  at  the  Observatory — no  personal  ad- 
vantages to  gain  by  serving  the  Confederacy.  Both 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      155 

President  Davis  and  his  Secretary  of  the  Navy  were 
unfriendly  to  him,  yet  as  a  duty  to  Virginia  he  did 
not  hesitate  a  moment  to  espouse  her  cause. 

He  resigned  on  April  20,  1861,  went  to  Richmond, 
was  appointed  Commodore  in  the  Virginia  Navy,  and 
selected  by  the  Sovereign  Convention  as  one  of  the 
"  Advisory  Council "  of  three  to  Governor  Letcher ; 
and  its  first  order  was  to  advise  the  appointment  of 
Colonel  Robert  E.  Lee  as  commander-in-chief  of  the 
military  and  naval  forces  of  Virginia. 

As  soon  as  it  became  known  in  Europe  that  Maury 
had  resigned  from  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
autocratic  Russia  invited  him  to  become  her  guest 
until  war  was  over  and  peace  had  come  to  America, 
tendering  ample  means  to  pursue  his  researches  and 
to  make  a  pleasant  and  comfortable  home  on  the  Neva 
for  his  family. 

How  variable  are  the  edicts  of  time !  France,  the 
nation  that  had  murdered  some  of  his  ancestors  and 
banished  others  to  America,  Imperial  France,  ten- 
dered him  a  like  invitation,  but  the  path  of  duty  and 
honor  was  plain  to  him — he  stood  by  Virginia  in  her 
need,  turning  away  from  wealth,  luxury,  and  safety 
for  poverty  and  danger. 

On  June  10,  1861,  the  Advisory  Council  was  abol- 
ished, and  the  same  day  Commodore  Maury  was  made 
Chief  of  the  Sea  Coast,  Harbor,  and  River  Defenses 
of  the  South.  While  acting  in  this  capacity  he  in- 
vented the  electric  torpedo,  both  for  harbor  and  land 
defense.  However,  he  failed  to  impress  the  Confed- 
erate naval  authorities  with  its  usefulness,  until  sturdy 
John  Letcher  prevailed  upon  them  to  witness  experi- 
ments on  the  James  River,  and  the  next  day  the  sum 


156      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

of  $5000  was  placed  at  his  disposal  to  plant  the  tor- 
pedoes in  the  river.  His  effectual  blockade  of  the 
James  River  at  the  bend  gave  General  Butler  the  idea 
of  Dutch  Gap  Canal. 

While  engaged  in  developing  this  great  engine  of 
defensive  warfare,  Maury  was  ordered  to  Europe  as 
Naval  Agent  of  the  Confederate  States,  in  England. 
Accompanied  by  his  son,  he  sailed  on  a  blockader 
from  Charleston,  S.  C.,  on  October  24,  1862,  pur- 
chasing munitions  of  war  and  naval  cruisers  while 
in  England,  where  he  resumed  the  work  of  perfecting 
his  torpedo  invention.  He  sailed  from  England  under 
orders  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  received 
the  crushing  news  of  the  collapse  of  the  Confederacy 
on  his  arrival  at  St.  Thomas  in  the  West  Indies. 

"  My  friends,  I  saw  the  sun  rise  at  Appomattox  on 
the  ninth  of  April,  1865 ;  then  there  were  only 
two  divisions  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  in- 
tact, with  7697  ready  rifles  in  their  hands.  We 
heard  Gordon's  guns  and  saw  their  smoke  linger  in 
the  tree  tops  across  the  field,  and  these  divisions  (Ma- 
hone's  and  Field's),  with  steady  eyes  and  anxious 
hearts,  awaited  the  order  of  the  Chieftain  to  forward 
and  to  fire.  They  were  patriots  with  undaunted 
courage  set  for  dangerous  duty.  While  the  tide  of 
disaster  had  swung  all  around  them,  no  power  but 
the  irresistible  death  bullet  could  break  their  steady 
purpose  to  march  to  the  strife,  hand  to  hand.  The 
thought  of  capitulation  could  not  come  to  these  men, 
yet  unconvinced  that  their  flag  could  be  touched  by 
the  conqueror's  heel.  A  moment  after  those  guns 
were  hushed  we  saw  a  horseman  with  the  white  flag 
riding  across  the  field,  and  our  country  was  dead.  At 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      157 

that  instant  our  hearts  sank  with  the  indescribable 
humiliation  of  countryless  soldiers,  and  leaning  on 
loaded  muskets,  strong  men  wept. 

"  When  Cornwallis  gave  his  sword  to  Washington 
at  Yorktown  his  soldiers  went  back  as  cherished  chil- 
dren to  the  British  kingdom,  which  had  sent  them  to 
its  service. 

"  When  Lee  surrendered,  his  soldiers  had  no  coun- 
try, no  homes  to  call  their  own — a  life  in  exile  and 
poverty  seemed  sweet  to  that  in  one's  native  land 
where  black  slaves  could  be  masters  and  masters 
felons. 

"  As  the  .cyclone's  wings  swirl  wreck  over  the  land, 
so  came  the  destruction  of  the  Confederacy  to  its  sol- 
diers, and  the  hearts  of  those  in  the  vortex  went  into 
bottomless  despair,  and  but  for  the  touch  of  General 
Grant's  chivalry  the  ordeal  would  have  been  more 
terrible  than  death." 

This  scene  came  upon  Commodore  Maury  like  the 
sudden  death  of  a  heart's  idol,  and  no  human  lips  can 
tell  the  sorrow  of  his  heroic  heart.  The  extermina- 
tion of  his  country  without  the  knowledge  of  the  cir- 
cumstances, flashin-g  upon  him  while  on  the  sea, 
brought  excruciating  distress. 

The  true  man  lifted  his  torn  heart  to  God,  and 
wrote  on  the  leaf  of  his  Bible :  "  Sunday,  May  7th, 
1865. — At  sea  again.  My  son  and  I  without  a  home, 
and  bound,  I  know  not  whither,  save  to  '  that 
bourne.' '  He  went  to  Cuba,  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
Admiral  commanding  the  Gulf  Squadron,  surrender- 
ing his  sword,  in  which  he  said :  "  In  peace  or  war, 
I  follow  the  fortune  of  my  State,  Virginia ;  as  she 
has  laid  down  her  arms,  I  will  ground  mine  also." 


158       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

In  this  extremity  Maury  sent  his  son  to  the  United 
States,  to  look  out  for  his  mother,  and  he  cast  about 
for  a  new  home  and  country,  not  so  much  for  himself 
as  for  his  people — those  glorious  Virginians,  who, 
from  that  distance,  appeared  to  him  as  galling  under 
the  yoke  of  relentless  conquerors. 

The  Emperor  of  Mexico  made  him  Imperial  Com- 
missioner of  Colonization,  and  he  set  about  planting 
a  new  Virginia  in  that  beautiful  land  of  perpetual 
harvests.  His  friends  advised  him  to  give  up  the 
scheme,  but  his  heart  was  set  upon  it,  and  his  hopes 
went  out  only  with  the  fall  of  the  empire.  He  had, 
however,  in  the  short  interval  of  his  Commissioner- 
ship  of  Colonization  conferred  one  blessing  upon 
Mexico — the  introduction  of  the  chinchona  tree, 
thereby  reducing  the  price  of  quinine  for  the  world, 
which  benefaction  will  last  as  long  as  Mexico's  em- 
pires, kingdoms,  or  republics  live. 

Maury  arrived  in  England  from  Mexico  on  March 
29,  1866,  to  join  his  family,  almost  penniless.  Op- 
portunely, the  unforgotten  services  of  the  great  man 
to  mankind  brought  a  "  Maury  Testimonial  "  from 
the  hearts  of  Englishmen  and  other  Europeans,  which 
relieved  his  immediate  necessities.  The  noble  man  did 
not  lay  down  his  armor  in  despair,  but  struck  out 
with  wonted  energies  to  build  up  his  broken  for- 
tunes. 

Napoleon  III.  invited  him  to  instruct  a  board  of 
French  officers  in  his  system  of  defensive  sea-mining, 
and  paid  him  well  for  it,  for  the  French  were  de- 
lighted with  his  instructions.  He,  however,  preferred 
Old  England,  and  afterwards  opened,  in  London,  a 
school  for  instruction  in  the  use  of  electric  torpedoes. 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      159 

At  the  same  time  he  was  occupied  in  the  preparation 
of  a  series  of  schoolbooks,  to  be  published  by  a  New 
York  house,  and  are  the  same  used  in  some  of  our 
schools  to-day. 

The  fame  of  Maury's  great  scientific  labors  had 
not  faded  in  his  adversity,  and,  in  recognition  thereof, 
in  1868  the  University  of  Cambridge  conferred  upon 
him  the  degree  of  LL.  D.,  at  the  same  time  Alfred 
Tennyson  received  this  great  honor. 

He  then  returned  to  Virginia  to  accept  the  chair 
of  physics  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  having 
declined  the  Directorship  of  the  Imperial  Observa- 
tory of  France,  and  the  superintendency  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  the  South.  He  preferred  a  place  of  use- 
fulness with  his  own  people  in  his  native  State,  with 
a  small  salary,  to  a  high  position  and  large  salary 
in  a  foreign  land,  or  even  in  another  State. 

Much  of  his  time  was  occupied  in  the  physical  sur- 
vey of  Virginia,  and  plans  for  establishing  direct 
trade  between  Hampton  Roads  and  Europe. 

"  Naturally,"  says  Maury,  "  and  both  in  a  geo- 
graphical and  military  point  of  view,  Norfolk,  with 
Hampton  Roads,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chesapeake 
Bay,  as  its  lower  harbor,  and  San  Francisco,  inside 
of  the  Golden  Gate,  in  California,  occupy — one  on  the 
Pacific,  the  other  on  the  Atlantic — the  most  impor- 
tant maritime  positions  that  lie  within  the  domains  of 
the  United  States.  Each  holds  the  commanding  point 
on  its  sea  front;  each  has  the  finest  harbor  on  its 
coast,  and  each  with  the  most  convenient  ingress  and 
egress  for  ships — each  as  safe  from  wind  and  wave  as 
shelter  can  make  them.  Nor  is  access  to  either  ever 
interrupted  by  the  frosts  of  winter.  In  the  harbors 


160      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

of  each  there  is  room  to  berth,  not  only  all  the  ships 
of  commerce,  but  the  navies  of  the  world  also." 

His  last  labors  were  the  series  of  lectures  in  the 
South  in  behalf  of  agriculture,  from  the  exposure 
and  fatigues  of  which  he  was  made  sick  unto  death, 
and,  when  arrived  at  home,  he  met  his  wife  on  the 
threshold  and  said :  "  My  dear,  I  am  come  home  to 
die." 

The  last  production  of  his  pen  for  publication  was 
"  A  Vindication  of  the  South  and  of  Virginia."  It  is 
a  masterly  paper  in  which  he  begins  with  remon- 
strances of  the  thirteen  British  Colonies  with  the 
Mother  Country,  tracing  the  origin  of  the  Revolu- 
tion and  success  of  the  American  rebellion  to  inde- 
pendence ;  then  following  with  the  political  controver- 
sies in  the  States  which  culminated  in  our  bloody  sec- 
tional war  and  the  overpowering  of  the  Confederacy, 
and  concludes  with  this  noble  sentence :  "  Her  sons 
who  fell  died  in  defense  of  their  country,  their  homes, 
their  rights,  and  all  that  makes  native  land  dear  to 
the  hearts  of  men."  The  principles  for  which  their 
lives  were  given  must  be  the  basis  of  republican  gov- 
ernment. 

It  is  the  most  compact,  complete  and  convincing 
vindication  of  the  Confederate  Cause  which  adorns 
the  pages  of  its  brief,  brilliant  history.  The  South- 
ern soldiers  did  not  die  in  vain,  and  history  will  so 
record  it. 

In  1866  Maury  was  offered  ten  thousand  pounds 
in  cash  for  the  mere  use  of  his  name  in  connection 
with  a  telegraph  company,  but  after  looking  into  it 
he  said :  "  I  cannot  touch  it  as  it  stands,  for  my  pre- 
cious good  name  is  the  pride  of  my  children  and  my 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      161 

particular  jewel,  therefore  I  must  honor  it,  and  not 
lend  it,  except  for  wise,  good,  and  useful  things." 
He  made  the  same  noble  reply  when  offered  a  salary 
of  thirty  thousand  dollars  by  a  great  lottery  com- 
pany. Satan  was  tempting  him  with  all  the  power 
of  flattery  and  gold,  but  he  turned  his  back  upon  all, 
to  write  attractive  schoolbooks  for  children,  and 
afterwards  to  teach  young  men  at  our  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute.  He  said,  "  I  could  not  wind  up  my 
career  more  usefully  than  by  helping  to  shape  the 
character  and  mold  the  destinies  of  the  rising  genera- 
tion." 

Like  few  great  men,  the  nearer  you  get  to  him, 
the  greater  he  is.  The  Dean  of  Cambridge  in  con- 
ferring the  degree  of  LL.  D.  upon  Maury  truly 
said :  "  Nor  is  he  merely  authority  in  nautical  sci- 
ence. He  is  also  a  pattern  of  noble  manners  and 
good  morals,  because  he  has  always  shown  himself  a 
brave  and  good  man." 

He  counseled  tenderness,  pleasant  manner,  and 
kind  words ;  and  his  doctrine  of  great  men  was — that 
all  useful  men  are  great;  that  the  talent  of  industry 
makes  a  man ;  that  not  so  much  depends  upon  intel- 
lect as  is  generally  supposed,  but  industry  and  steadi- 
ness of  purpose  are  the  things.  The  pure  and  simple 
religious  influence  of  his  boyhood  marked  his  daily 
walk,  and  the  precepts  imbibed  in  youth  followed  him 
through  life.  With  him  religion  and  science  never 
conflicted.  "  The  Bible  is  true  and  science  is  true, 
and  therefore  each,  if  truly  read,  but  proves  the 
truth  of  the  other." 

His  devotion  to  his  immediate  family  was  sublime. 
He  said :  "  My  sweet  wife  and  dear  children  make 


162      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

home  the  sweetest  place  on  the  face  of  the  earth." 
"  These  precious  children,  I  am  so  proud  of  them, 
their  praises,  coming  from  the  heart,  are  more  than 
music  to  my  ears;  'tis  joy  and  comfort  to  my  soul." 
His  great  desire  was  that  they  should  treat  him  not 
only  as  their  father  and  their  friend,  but  as  their 
companion  too.  As  busy  as  he  was  with  scientific 
problems,  he  always  found  time  to  teach  them,  amuse 
them,  and  counsel  with  them.  When  absent,  he  wrote 
his  wife  every  day — a  great  philosopher  yielding 
daily  homage  to  the  throne  of  love. 

His  friends  were  legion  and  his  warm  heart  .linked 
them  "  with  hooks  of  steel."  His  honor  for  his  par- 
ents, his  attachment  for  his  brothers  and  sisters,  his 
steady  friendship,  his  devotion  for  his  wife,  his  love 
for  his  children,  his  affection  for  mankind,  his  good- 
ness in  all,  cannot  be  excelled  by  his  knowledge  in 
science,  for  his  heart  and  his  head  always  worked  in 
harmony,  like  sailors  under  one  flag.  No  higher 
order  of  patriotism  ever  crowned  a  hero's  name.  As 
the  Dean  of  Cambridge  declared :  "  No  one  can  with- 
hold his  admiration  from  the  man  who,  though  num- 
bered among  the  vanquished,  held  his  faith  pure  and 
unblemished  even  at  the  price  of  poverty  and  exile." 
The  force  of  Maury's  example  will  grow  stronger 
as  the  searchlight  of  time  reveals  the  wisdom  of  men, 
for  manliness  in  all  its  beauty  rounds  up  the  life  of 
this  mighty  man  of  science.  The  strong  magnetism 
of  his  sincere  and  simple  manners  draws  us  to  him 
with  an  irresistible  attachment,  and  the  man  of  heart 
in  every  age  must  love  the  life  of  Maury.  Matthew 
Fontaine  Maury,  illustrious  scholar,  incomparable 
scientist,  incorruptible  hero — the  rich  memorial  of 


MATTHEW    FONTAINE    MAURY      163 

his  great  name  gives  our  State  a  crown  star  for- 
ever !  Virginia  owes  him  a  monument  for  his  self- 
sacrifice  to  her  cause,  and  every  State  and  nation  of 
the  earth  should  add  a  stone  for  his  services  to  man- 
kind. He  traced  the  course  of  the  winds,  marked  the 
currents  of  the  sea,  delineated  the  unseen  floors  of 
the  ocean,  mapped  the  skies,  catalogued  the  stars, 
trained  the  lightning  to  pierce  the  deep  of  the  ocean, 
forecast  the  dangers  of  the  great  waters  and  the 
whirl  of  the  cyclone,  the  melting  of  the  frosts,  the 
advance  of  the  floods,  the  coming  of  the  "  beautiful 
snow,"  and  when  and  where  the  sunshine  would  bless 
the  earth,  and  the  clouds  would  cover  the  mountains, 
or  soften  the  valleys  with  their  raindrops.  He  in- 
vented the  electric  torpedo,  invisible,  silent  barrier  to 
guard  the  sea  coasts  and  harbors  and  natural  bound- 
aries of  nations  from  hostile  invaders.  Although  he 
neither  owned  nor  cultivated  the  land,  he  loved  agri- 
culture because  it  is  the  indestructible  source  of  pros- 
perity for  the  people.  His  last  labors,  enthusiasti- 
cally pursued  to  his  death  hour,  were  for  a  plan  of 
forecasts  to  warn  the  farmer  when  the  atmosphere 
would  blight  or  bloom  his  crops. 

Noble  impulses,  pure  motives,  unselfish  manhood! 
He  learned  the  harmony  of  religion  and  science  from 
the  grain  of  sand  on  the  sea  shore  and  the  dew  drop 
on  the  flower.  He  saw  God  in  the  calm  of  the  sea,  in 
the  tremble  of  the  mountain,  in  the  smoke  of  the  vol- 
cano ;  blessed  Him  for  heat  and  cold,  light  and  dark- 
ness, and  simply  clung  to  the  cross  of  Christ  for  the 
eternal  life  promised  in  His  blood.  In  this  faith  he 
quietly  died  on  the  first  day  of  February,  1873,  at 
Lexington,  in  his  beloved  Virginia. 


THE   PORTRAIT  OF  COMMODORE   MAURY, 
FOR  R.  E.  LEE  CAMP,  NO.  1 

[A  handsome  three-quarter  length  oil  portrait  of  Commo- 
dore Matthew  Fontaine  Maury  was  formally  presented  to 
R.  E.  Lee  Camp,  Confederate  Veterans,  on  February  25,  1905. 
Hon.  W.  A.  Anderson,  Attorney-General  of  Virginia,  made 
the  presentation  address,  and  the  speech  of  acceptance  was  as 
follows:] 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN  : 

My  heart  throbs  are  doubly  quick  and  I  tremble 
because  I  feel  my  weakness  in  the  presence  of  so  great 
a  theme. 

Oh,  that  I  were  capable  of  filling  the  place  of  your 
distinguished  and  beloved  .citizen,  Virginius  Newton, 
who  would  have  spoken  to  you  with  a  nearness  of 
heart  beyond  my  power  had  not  God  called  him  from 
earthly  labors  to  eternal  rest !  I  therefore  crave 
your  indulgence  for  my  poor  effort. 

Mr.  Commander,  I  regard  your  Camp  as  a  halo  of 
civic  virtue  for  the  capital  of  the  Southern  Confed- 
eracy. R.  E.  Lee  Camp,  No.  1,  is  an  institution 
which  has  provided  bread  for  our  comrades,  and  given 
our  spirit  nation  this  hall  of  fame.  I  have  been  hon- 
ored by  you  with  the  duty  of  formally  receiving  the 
portrait  of  Commodore  Matthew  Fontaine  Maury, 
the  greatest  scientist  of  America  and  the  wisest  sailor 
of  the  world,  and  I  assure  you  I  am  appreciative  of 
this  distinction. 

This  portrait  of  the  "Pathfinder  of  the  Sea" 
comes  to  your  hall  of  fame  from  a  modest,  generous, 

164 


PORTRAIT    OF    COMMODORE    MAURY     165 

noble-minded,  and  patriotic  citizen  of  Richmond, 
through  the  faithful  Confederate  soldier  and  eminent 
Attorney-General  of  Virginia,  with  eloquent  and 
burning  words  striking  deep  into  our  hearts. 

Major  Anderson,  I  am  commissioned  to  accept  it 
and  through  you  to  express  to  the  donor  the  grati- 
tude and  loving  thanks  of  Lee  Camp,  and  of  all  who 
love  the  memory  of  Maury. 

The  soldiers  of  the  Mikado  believe  that  the  spirits 
of  their  slain  comrades  are  unhappy  until  the  pur- 
pose for  which  they  sacrificed  their  lives  is  accom- 
plished. The  bliss  of  the  departed  depends  upon  the 
success  of  the  living.  They  fight  while  yearning 
spirits  hover  over  the  battlefield  watching  their  faith- 
fulness and  admiring  their  valor.  Their  desperate 
charges  are  made  in  the  presence  of  the  unseen, 
whose  approval  they  desire  above  life,  and  their  ef- 
forts are  given  in  an  idealistic  unselfishness  for  the 
happiness  of  those  who  have  gone  before  into  the 
spirit  land. 

It  is  a  beautiful  sentiment,  and  it  makes  one  feel 
that  he  is  doing  that  which  our  God,  His  angels,  and 
saints  approve;  and  it  is  not  unseemly  to  imagine 
that  the  spirits  of  those  represented  by  the  pictures 
on  these  walls  look  on  this  scene  with  gracious  ap- 
proval, and  welcome  the  advent  of  the  portrait  of 
one  of  the  foremost  of  the  splendid  galaxy. 

Here  is  heroic  comradeship,  which  speaks  only  of 
lofty  ideals !  Here  is  patriotism  of  the  highest 
grade !  Selfish  commercialism  is  put  behind  as  an 
unclean  thing,  and  sentiment  sways  the  conscience 
as  the  ruler  of  hope,  hope  that  we  may  do  good  for 
those  about  us,  hope  that  we  may  leave  something 


166      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

good  for  those  to  come  after  us.  Reversing  the 
heathen  idealism,  we  fight  with  unselfish  minds  for 
the  living  and  the  unborn. 

Maury  said :  "  The  true  secret  of  happiness  is  oc- 
cupation for  some  useful  end."  He  once  wished 
riches  to  build  colleges  for  the  youth  of  the  land, 
and  "  be  happy  as  the  angels  are  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  doing  good."  The  useful  ends  to  which  he 
devoted  his  life  have  borne  glad  tidings  to  the  world, 
and  the  nations  of  the  whole  earth  are  thankful  for 
his  gifts. 

He  was  born  in  the  beginning  of  the  last  century, 
— a  century  which  has  evolved  the  greatest  events  in 
America, — in  the  county  in  which  her  greatest  armies 
have  striven  in  bloodiest  contests,  where  Stonewall 
Jackson  made  his  greatest  maneuver  and  spilled  his 
life-blood  to  consecrate  an  undying  cause;  and  he 
grew  to  boyhood  in  the  mountains  where  Hood's 
legions  of  the  Western  army  made  Franklin  the 
s-cene  of  the  bloodiest  battle  in  Tennessee. 

There  dreams  of  greatness  pressed  his  ambition 
to  conquer  the  sea,  and  "  call  the  roll  of  worlds  " ; 
thence  he  turned  to  learn  the  ways  of  the  winds  and 
waves  without  a  teacher,  outside  of  the  walls  of  a 
college,  with  his  own  self-reliance  to  govern  and 
guide  his  aspirations. 

"  What  thrill  is  his  who  scans  the  boundless  skies, 
And  calls  the  roll  of  worlds;  or  his,  whose  greed 
Can  fancy  earth's  domain  to  him  decreed ! 

But  thou,  with  all  the  treacherous  sea  thy  prize, 

Writhing  and  fretting  'neath  thy  searching  eyes, 
Thus  chid  the  captive  pleading  to  be  freed, 

'  I  know  thy  ways,  O  Sea ;  and  to  thy  sighs 


PORTRAIT    OF    COMMODORE    MAURY     167 

My  ear  is  tuned,  and  to  thy  savage  cries. 

The  runes  thou  writest  on  the  sands  I  read; 

And  to  thy  vexing  I  design  a  chart 

To  mark  the  varied  pulsing  of  thy  heart: 
To  show  when  man  may  press  thy  breast  secure, 
And  when  thou  wilt  no  wanton  touch  endure, 

And  he  must  contemplate  thy  wrath  apart.' " 

— R.  A.  STEWART. 

Think  of  the  task  he  essayed  when  he  first  put  foot 
on  the  deck  of  the  man-of-war  Brandt/wine!  Think 
of  the  victory  he  had  won  when  his  work  was  done 
and  his  life  went  out  at  Lexington!  He  lived  a  just 
man;  he  held  love  for  our  Lord  and  Master  in  the 
deep  of  his  heart,  and  he  died  a  Christian. 

Something  useful  for  his  day  and  generation  was 
the  boundary  of  his  hopes  when  he  struggled  with 
the  problems  of  life;  far  reaching,  it  swept  the  face 
of  the  globe  and  touched  the  interests  of  civilization, 
aye,  humanity,  with  blessings.  Who  of  all  America's 
workers  wrought  in  a  wider  field  or  wrought  greater 
things  for  the  good  of  mankind,  untouched  by  a  sin- 
gle stain  of  selfishness !  Every  prayer,  every  aspira- 
tion, every  hope  in  all  his  life  was  to  a  useful  end 
and  for  the  benefit  of  those  around  him,  and  for 
those  to  come  after  him. 

He  did  not  achieve  all  the  great  works  which  he 
gave  so  freely  to  mankind  without  pain,  physical  as 
well  as  mental  anguish.  It  is  the  fate  of  all  human 
goodness,  like  the  purified  metal,  to  pass  through  a 
fiery  furnace.  The  suffering  which  came  to  him 
through  a  crippled  limb  and  the  misery  caused  by 
the  naval  board  which  retired  him  from  the  service, 
are  evidences  that  he  had  to  battle  with  the  thorns 
and  briars  of  life  to  gain  the  heights  of  fame. 


168      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

His  life  teaches  us  how  strong  we  should  be  when 
we  become  the  target  of  the  enemy's  thundering 
guns,  how  watchful  when  the  sharp  stiletto  of  the 
false  friend  glistens  at  our  back.  It  teaches  us  to 
marshal  our  resources  and  plant,  not  for  ourselves 
alone,  but  for  humanity,  in  the  ways  God  has 
given  us. 

There  are  many  soldiers  and  sailors  of  the  South 
yet  spared  to  do  good,  to  work  for  a  useful  end. 
The  last  constitutional  .convention  of  Virginia  unin- 
tentionally erected  a  monument  to  its  own  memory, 
which  rises  as  the  highest  memorial  for  the  patriot- 
ism of  Confederate  soldiers  and  sailors.  It  said  to 
them :  "  Your  sacrifice  in  war  is  enough  to  entitle 
you  to  be  fiduciaries  of  our  government,  without  the 
burden  of  a  poll  tax  which  you  may  be  unable  to 
bear."  It  is  an  ideal  shaft,  stronger  than  granite, 
more  enduring  than  bronze,  more  beautiful  than  mar- 
ble, higher  than  Alpine  summit,  and  purer  than  the 
snow  on  its  cap.  It  is  the  most  admirable  sentiment 
of  the  heart's  pure  emotions  set  in  the  fundamental 
law  of  Virginia. 

My  ever  honored  comrades,  how  shall  we  use  the 
privilege  so  freely  given  is  the  problem  before  us. 
There  is  one  thing  all  of  us  can  do,  that  is  to  cast 
our  ballots  for  men  who  truly  promise  to  place  duty 
to  constituents  above  self  interest ;  who,  like  Wash- 
ington, Jefferson,  Lee,  and  Maury,  hold  office  for  the 
good  of  the  people.  If  we  can  prevent  corrupt  elec- 
tion methods  we  will  deserve  the  high  place  which  the 
architects  of  our  constitution  have  given  us  as  their 
crown  of  fundamental  law.  Clear  out  self-seekers, 
grafters,  and  lobbyists,  and  you  will  have  clean  poli- 


PORTRAIT    OF    COMMODORE    MAURY     169 

tics,  giving  lessons  for  the  leavening  of  empires  into 
popular  governments  in  which  the  people  rule. 

The  highest  ideals  of  religious  and  civic  duty  give 
the  life  of  Maury  its  splendid  cast,  and  made  it  a 
model  for  virtuous  men  of  every  nation.  Maury  in 
the  midst  of  his  family  makes  a  picture  of  the  true, 
the  beautiful,  and  the  good.  It  is  enough  to  tell  you 
that  he  ascribed  his  highest  triumphs  to  the  help  of 
his  wife,  and  derived  his  greatest  pleasures  from  the 
love  of  his  children. 

The  Brandywine,  on  whose  decks  Maury  began  his 
nautical  career,  sailed  from  Hampton  Roads  under 
Commodore  Charles  Morris.  Her  mission  was  to  con- 
vey La  Fayette  back  to  France  after  his  last  visit  to 
the  United  States.  The  second  day  out  the  ship 
struck  a  gale  and  sprung  a  leak,  and  a  council  of 
officers  was  called  to  decide  whether  to  return  or  pro- 
ceed, but  finding  that  the  pumps  controlled  the  leak- 
age, the  voyage  was  continued.  The  rest  of  the  voy- 
age was  uneventful.  There  were  twenty-seven  mid- 
shipmen on  board,  and  it  was  noticed  that  when 
others  were  at  amusements  Maury  was  at  the  mizzen- 
top  studying  seamanship.  Then  he  made  his  mark 
among  his  fellows,  and  gained  their  entire  respect  by 
his  study  and  studious  habits.  The  monthly  pay  of 
these  cadets  was  nineteen  dollars.  They  assembled 
and  resolved  to  appropriate  one  month's  pay  for  a 
testimonial  of  their  regard  for  the  noble  soldier  who 
had  helped  to  win  the  independence  of  their  country. 
Maury  was  elected  one  of  the  committee  to  secure 
the  silver  urn  suitably  inscribed,  and  to  present  it  to 
the  old  hero.  This  gift  was  the  homage  of  youth  to 
manhood.  It  was  an  offering  from  glad  hearts  on 


170      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

the  altar  of  patriotism,  a  touching  tribute  from  the 
young  sailors  to  General  La  Fayette,  and  it  was  most 
highly  appreciated  by  him.  These  boys  of  the  sea 
were  heroes  worthy  of  the  nation  and  the  flag  which 
their  ship  bore. 

When  we  study  Maury's  writings,  he  seems  to  have 
been  gifted  with  inspired  wisdom.  Thank  God  that 
prophecy  about  the  rise  of  the  conquered  South  has 
come  to  pass !  When  the  desolation  of  war  was  every- 
where, he  foretold  that  the  South  would  gain  the 
restitution  of  her  strength  from  the  earth. 

Behold  its  truth!  Look  at  her  flourishing  fields! 
See  the  prosperity  of  her  plantations !  It  is  with 
pride  and  pleasure  that  we  observe  the  success,  not 
only  of  her  agriculture,  but  of  her  commerce ;  mining 
and  manufacturing  are  pouring  wealth  into  the 
pockets  of  her  people ;  and  to-day  the  promise  of  the 
South  is  to  be  the  fairest  and  most  attractive  of  all 
the  sections  of  this  country. 

The  comrades  in  the  Confederate  War  of  this 
prophet  have  been  the  chief  instruments  which  have 
won  the  victory  from  the  earth  as  he  foretold. 
Henceforth  the  wisdom  of  the  sage  will  advise  young 
men  to  go  South  instead  of  West. 

While  giving  his  knowledge  of  the  science  of  the 
seas  to  the  world,  Maury  was  an  enthusiastic  worker 
for  the  expansion  of  American  commerce,  and  fifty- 
six  years  ago  he  heralded  the  benefits  of  an  Isthmian 
Canal  when  he  wrote :  "  When  there  shall  be  estab- 
lished a  commercial  thoroughfare  across  the  isthmus, 
the  trade  winds  of  the  Pacific  will  place  China,  India, 
and  all  the  islands  of  that  ocean  down  hill  from  this 
sea  of  ours.  In  that  case  the  whole  of  Europe  must 


PORTRAIT    OF    COMMODORE    MAURY     171 

pass  by  our  very  doors  on  the  great  highway  to  the 
markets  of  both  the  East  and  West  Indies.  The 
great  outlets  of  commerce — the  delta  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, the  mouths  of  the  Hudson  and  the  Amazon — 
are  all  within  two  thousand  miles,  ten  days'  sail,  of 
Darien.  It  is  a  barrier  that  separates  us  from  the 
markets  of  six  hundred  millions  of  people — three- 
fourths  of  the  population  of  the  earth.  Break  it 
down,  therefore,  and  the  country  is  placed  midway 
between  Europe  and  Asia ;  this  sea  becomes  the  center 
of  the  world  and  the  focus  of  the  world's  commerce. 
This  is  a  highway  that  will  give  vent  to  commerce, 
scope  to  energy,  and  range  to  enterprise,  which  in  a 
few  years  hence  will  make  gay  with  steam  and  can- 
vas parts  of  the  ocean  that  are  now  unfrequented 
and  almost  unknown.  Old  channels  of  trade  will  be 
broken  up  and  new  ones  opened.  We  desire  to  see  our 
own  country  the  standard-bearer  in  this  great  work." 

At  last  our  country  has  undertaken  this  work 
promising  the  great  benefits  which  Maury  so  long  ago 
described,  and  President  Roosevelt  has  been  commis- 
sioned by  the  American  people  to  be  their  standard- 
bearer  in  working  out  this  masterful  conception  of 
Matthew  Fontaine  Maury.  We  believe  the  President 
is  a  worthy  standard-bearer  and  will  urge  on  the 
work  with  the  faithfulness  which  he  has  always  dis- 
played in  his  public  duties.  Not  many  years  hence 
the  commerce  of  the  world  will  spread  its  canvas  over 
the  waters  and  fill  the  skies  of  our  Southern  seas  with 
the  smoke  of  its  steamships. 

We  know  that  many  honors  were  conferred  upon 
Maury  by  European  Governments  in  token  of  respect 
and  admiration,  and  of  the  benefits  conferred  by  his 


172      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

"  Wind  and  Current  Charts,"  his  "  Sailing  Direc- 
tions," and  his  "  Physical  Geography  of  the  Sea," 
the  suggestions,  improvements,  and  discoveries  made 
by  him  with  regard  to  the  Atlantic  cable,  his  "  steam 
lanes  "  across  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans,  and  as 
the  originator  of  the  present  system  of  the  Weather 
Bureau.  Twenty-two  gold  and  silver  medals  were 
conferred  upon  him,  given  by  Austria,  Prussia,  Nor- 
way and  Sweden,  Holland,  Belgium,  France,  the 
Pope,  Sardinia,  and  Bremen ;  three  copper  medals, 
by  England,  Belgium,  and  Batavia ;  six  decorations — 
the  Dannenborg,  the  Tower  and  Sword,  St.  Ann,  Our 
Lady  Guadeloupe,  St.  Leopold,  and  the  Legion  of 
Honor — bestowed  respectively  by  Denmark,  Portu- 
gal, Russia,  Mexico,  Belgium,  and  France;  a  dia- 
mond brooch  was  given  by  the  Czar  of  Russia,  a  dia- 
mond pin  by  the  Empress  Maximilian,  and  a  gold 
and  silver  casket  containing  a  gift,  by  the  Lords  of 
the  British  Admiralty.  Honors  far  above  any  ever 
conferred  by  European  nations  upon  any  other  Amer- 
ican citizen. 

Maury's  discoveries  in  science  have  contributed  as 
much  to  our  national  fame  as  the  most  brilliant 
achievements  of  its  most  distinguished  general,  yet 
we  search  in  vain  for  any  tangible  recognition  of  his 
achievements  by  the  Government  of  the  United 
States. 

Have  not  his  works  been  worth  as  much  to  this  na- 
tion as  to  the  European  states?  Why  is  it  that  the 
hearts  of  the  American  people  have  not  throbbed 
with  the  same  impulse  of  gratitude  as  the  kings, 
emperors,  and  noblemen  of  the  Old  World? 

Is  this  Republic  ungrateful  to  its  wisest  son?  Is 
it  the  spirit  of  that  "  intolerance  and  fanaticism 


PORTRAIT    OF    COMMODORE    MAURY     173 

which  is  the  bane  of  free  institutions,"  that  would 
forget  his  name?  I  hope  not. 

We  ought  not  to  attribute  to  sectional  prejudice 
the  failure  of  the  National  Legislature  to  recognize 
the  services  of  Maury  to  the  American  people,  when 
our  own  State,  for  which  he  sacrificed  so  much,  refuses 
a  mere  pittance  to  have  his  statue  created  by  our  dis- 
tinguished sculptor,  Valentine,  to  stand  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Capitol  with  the  effigies  of  other  fa- 
mous sons. 

His  admirers  in  Congress  attempted  to  reward  his 
genius  before  the  war  fumes  had  stirred  the  preju- 
dices of  the  sections,  and  the  "  noes "  were  not 
bounded  by  the  Potomac  River;  besides,  the  North 
has  done  more  to  recognize  his  worth  than  his  native 
South,  evidenced  by  the  sum  given  him  by  the  under- 
writers of  New  York.  Does  it  come  with  grace  from 
us  to  blame  the  North?  The  State  which  gave  him 
birth  and  holds  his  ashes  must  exhibit  gratitude  be- 
fore we  can  expect  that  great  virtue  to  expand 
through  all  the  sister  States.  If  Virginia  will  take 
the  lead,  I  believe  not  only  all  other  American  States, 
but  the  states  of  civilization,  will  join  to  build  a  suit- 
able monument  to  his  memory.  That  would  be  an 
omen  that  the  American  hearts,  which  once  burned 
with  hatred  and  rage,  will  hereafter  glow  with  mutual 
respect,  confidence,  and  love. 

Listen,  I  will  tell  you  something;  the  women  of 
America  are  going  to  build  a  memorial  to  the  name 
which  history  has  already  placed  in  the  rank  of  New- 
ton and  Humboldt ! 

The  regent  of  Fort  Nelson  Chapter,  of  my  own 
city,  Portsmouth,  Va.,  has  secured  the  unanimous 
passage  of  a  resolution  by  the  National  Congress  of 


174       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  request- 
ing the  United  States  Congress  to  appropriate  fifty 
thousand  dollars  to  build  a  memorial  column  to 
Maury.  The  Daughters  of  the  North,  the  South,  the 
East  and  the  West  with  one  mind  thus  paid  their 
beautiful  tribute  to  his  name.  This  Congress  may 
be  deaf  to  their  voice,  but  they  will  remember,  and 
Matthew  Fontaine  Maury  will  have  a  monument 
worthy  of  his  fame!  God  bless  the  ladies  for  their 
exalted  sentiments,  which  drive  men  to  remember 
manhood  and  bolt  its  virtues  to  the  ship  of  states. 

I  cannot  tell  you  why  it  is ;  I  cannot  explain  how 
it  is,  but  whenever  men  of  mark  run  in  my  thoughts 
the  name  of  Matthew  Fontaine  Maury  is  foremost 
and  always  suggests  to  my  mind  the  idea  of  what- 
ever is  good ;  whatever  is  tender ;  whatever  is  great ; 
whatever  is  heroic,  patriotic,  and  illustrious  in  human 
nature.  His  genius  blazes  on  me  with  a  radiance  that 
dazzles  and  a  loveliness  that  charms.  His  works 
spread  before  my  eyes  a  vista  as  high  as  the  sky,  as 
broad  as  the  earth,  as  deep  as  the  sea.  His  wisdom 
and  unselfishness  rise  in  an  overflowing  spring  for  the 
thirst  of  ages.  His  footsteps  from  childhood  to  the 
doorway  of  death  mark  a  path  of  transcendent  tal- 
ents, blazed  with  labor  and  energy ;  glorified  through 
pain  and  disappointment,  and  leading  into  the  Hall 
of  Eternal  Fame. 

Mr.  Attorney-General  Anderson,  this  portrait  re- 
flecting such  a  life,  will  inspire  men  to  love  honor, 
live  uprightly,  walk  humbly,  and  labor  assiduously 
for  a  good  end,  and  that  inspiration  will  be  the  pride 
of  those  to  whom  you  have  committed  its  keeping, 
and  a  happy  reward  for  its  generous  donor. 


THE   WOMEN   OF   THE    SOUTH 

[An  address  delivered  at  the  banquet  given  the  Grand  Camp, 
Confederate  Veterans,  at  Charlottesville,  on  June  4,  1895,  in 
response  to  the  toast: 

"  Oh !  the  noble,  patriotic, 

Glorious  women  of  our  land, 
How  they  struggled,  trusting,  patient, 

Soul-inspired,  enduring  band! 
Bore  the  hardships,  fought  the  battles 

Of  privation,  death  and  woe, 
Giving  courage,  hope  and  cheer 

In  a  way  that  only  women  know."] 

COMRADES,  I  wish  I  had  the  tongue  of  Demos- 
thenes that  I  might  give  due  response  to  the  senti- 
ment you  have  allotted  to  me. 

Truth  and  duty,  love  and  faith,  incited  the  noble 
women  of  the  South  from  the  time  when  South  Caro- 
lina's palmetto  banner  was  unfurled  to  the  breeze,  as 
notice  of  the  resumption  of  independent  State  sover- 
eignty, until  the  echo  from  the  last  -cannon  shot  died 
on  the  breast  of  North  Carolina's  grand  mountains. 
Yea,  until  Kirby  Smith's  trans-Mississippi  troops 
furled  the  last  Southern  Cross,  furled  by  Lee,  furled 
by  Johnston,  furled  by  Taylor,  furled  by  all  as  a 
national  emblem  forever. 

The  baptism  of  the  star-set  cross  in  the  fire  and 
blood  of  over  twenty-four  hundred  fields  in  four  years 
made  it  dear  to  all  Southern  hearts,  and  still  its  dusty 
and  tattered  folds  are  sacred  and  its  memories  are 
treasured  most  by  the  noble  Southern  women,  whose 

175 


176      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

tender  fingers  gave  it  form  and  life  and  beauty.  The 
women  of  the  South,  emulating  the  patriotism  of 
their  mothers  and  fathers  of  the  Revolution,  gave  no 
countenance  to  kith  nor  kinsman  who  failed  to  take 
up  the  gauntlet  of  war  and  fight  to  the  bitter  end  for 
the  rights  of  the  South.  No  Southern  woman  said 
"  Stay,  and  give  your  gun  to  a  substitute  " ;  but 
"  You,  my  father ;  you,  my  husband ;  you,  my  son ; 
you,  my  brother ;  you,  my  lover ;  you,  yourself,  go 
and  do  your  duty !  " 

This  spirit  wrought  an  eternal  diadem  for  the 
women  of  the  Confederacy,  and  the  martial  glory  of 
the  South  is  an  ornament  which  each  true  daughter 
can  wear  on  her  breast  better  than  costly  jewels, 
and  forever  cherish  in  her  heart  with  loving  adora- 
tion. When  the  hour  of  war  came  every  woman  of 
the  South  arose  with  the  fire  of  patriotism  in  her  eye, 
the  resolution  of  faith  in  her  soul,  and  undying  love 
in  her  heart  to  help  her  country's  cause.  In  every 
hamlet  throughout  the  South  meetings  were  held  to 
encourage  the  men  to  enlist  and  to  assist  in  equip- 
ping the  new  companies  as  they  were  formed.  Every- 
where sewing  societies  were  organized  to  make  the 
uniforms  for  the  soldiers,  and  not  months,  but  days, 
found  many  'Companies  clad  in  clothes  made  by  women 
who  never  before  had  plied  a  needle  to  cloth  for  men's 
raiment. 

I  wish  I  could  picture  the  scenes  of  those  wild  and 
stirring  days,  when  every  woman,  old  and  young, 
gave  her  time,  her  influence,  and  her  energies  to  pa- 
triotism and  country.  All  Southern  men — rich  and 
poor,  learned  and  unlearned — responded  to  this 
spirit,  and  when  they  marched  to  service  were  clad 


THE    WOMEN    OF    THE    SOUTH      177 

in  garments  made  by  mother,  wife,  sister,  daughter, 
or  sweetheart ;  and  the  banner  which  waved  above 
their  ranks  was  made  by  these  same  delicate  hands, 
and  given  by  their  loving  hearts. 

What  an  inspiration !  Like  a  glow,  warm  from 
the  throne  of  love,  the  devotion  of  the  women  lifted 
the  men  up  to  the  highest  standard  of  chivalry,  and 
counting  not  the  cost  nor  the  odds,  Beauregard's 
battalions  laid  the  foundation  of  the  fame  of  the 
South  on  Manassas'  bloody  plains,  where  Jackson's 
infantry  stood  "  like  a  stone  wall."  Then  in  actual 
war  the  offices  of  the  women  of  the  Confederacy  came 
in  the  tender  and  noble  instincts  of  sympathy ; 
day  and  night,  by  the  side  of  the  wounded  on  field 
and  in  hospital,  they  dressed  the  scars  and  soothed 
the  pains,  and  with  the  dying  soldiers  prayed  and 
wept  as  Christian  faith  lifted  the  departing  soul  to 
God. 

Away  from  the  scenes  of  blood  Southern  women 
planted,  sowed,  and  reaped  the  grain  for  food;  spun 
and  wove  and  made  the  cloth  into  garments  for  child 
and  maiden,  who  were  as  proud  of  home-spun  gowns 
as  king  of  royal  robes. 

This  season  of  adversity  implanted  deep  memo- 
ries and  holy  regard  for  the  great  cause;  and  if  the 
infusion  of  foreign  elements  should  make  the  young 
men  of  other  generations  forget  the  virtues  of  their 
fathers,  all  the  cruel  invasions  of  progress  can  never 
efface  their  heroic  efforts  from  the  hearts  of  their 
daughters. 

The  convent  in  Columbia,  S.  C.,  was  burnt  by  cruel 
treachery  and  the  pious  nuns  with  their  girl  pupils 
were  forced  to  shiver  on  the  tombs  in  the  churchyard 


178      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

through  that  awful  night  which  saw  the  destruction 
of  that  beautiful  city.  Next  day,  by  the  grace  of 
"  the  conquering  hero,"  they  were  assigned  quarters 
in  a  deserted  home,  from  which  these  tender  girls 
were  regularly  marched  out  to  get  their  rations  and 
required — ordered — to  extend  their  arms  to  receive 
in  one  hand  a  piece  of  bread,  in  the  other  a  tin  cup 
of  coffee — thus  humiliated,  the  officer  said,  to  break 
the  spirit  of  Southern  girls. 

Vain  effort !  unfruitful  insult !  They  overwhelmed 
our  armies  of  men,  but  no  suffering,  no  humiliation, 
no  insult,  no  tyrannical  oppression,  could  break  the 
spirit  of  the  heroic  daughters  of  the  Confederacy. 

I  do  not  recall  this  event  to  fire  anew  the  Southern 
heart,  but  to  demonstrate  the  depth  of  suffering  en- 
dured, the  climax  of  insult  received,  and  the  loyal 
heart  of  patriotism  which  bore  Southern  women 
through  the  ordeal  of  war,  deserving  everlasting  re- 
membrance and  perpetual  endorsement.  Then,  even 
at  the  end,  when  desolation  and  destruction  reigned 
everywhere,  the  women  of  the  South  were  imbued 
with  the  justice  of  their  cause — still  faithful  to  their 
principles,  although  all  seemed  engulfed  forever  in 
the  grave  of  defeat. 

When  Robert  E.  Lee  surrendered,  his  soldiers,  in 
the  valley  of  humiliation,  lifted  up  their  souls  to  the 
Lord  for  sympathy,  and  it  came  through  the  beam- 
ing eyes  and  tender  touch  of  the  noble  women  as 
sweet  messengers  from  the  throne  of  God.  It  gave 
them  new  hope,  new  life,  new  strength,  new  faith,  and 
made  them  cling  to  a  great  principle  which  cannot 
die.  That  which  now  as  ever  and  will  always  underlie 
true  republican  government — local  self-government 


— makes  States  sovereigns  and  not  provinces.  Upon 
this  our  government  was  founded  and  must  stand. 
Out  of  the  wrecks  of  war  came  the  resurrection  of 
this  fundamental  principle  to  become  firmer  in  every 
section  of  the  Union. 

No  Southern  woman  ever  uttered  the  cowardly  sen- 
tence— "  Believed  our  cause  was  right  " — but  our 
soldiers  fought  for  the  eternal  principle  of  justice 
and  inalienable  rights ;  for  the  Constitution  as  our 
fathers  made  it ;  while  the  Northern  legions  of  inva- 
sion fought  for  sentiment — Union,  flag,  higher  law. 

Our  women  have  raised  the  monuments  of  the 
South ;  have  ever  honored  the  ashes  of  our  dead ;  kept 
green  the  graves  of  our  heroes ;  upheld  the  pride  of 
our  dead  Confederacy,  and  made  manifest  to  the 
world  the  character  of  our  soldiers  and  their  fame 
eternal.  Tell  it  in  the  east ;  tell  it  in  the  west ;  pub- 
lish it  on  the  four  wings  of  the  winter's  rushing 
winds ;  write  it  on  the  summer's  thundering  clouds, 
and  in  the  flashing  lightning's  letters,  that  the  women 
of  the  South  love  the  memories  of  the  Southern  Con- 
federacy above  gold  and  precious  stones. 

What  a  blessing  is  woman's  love !  It  is  good  and 
great  and  beautiful  to  pierce  darkness  with  sunshine, 
to  turn  sadness  to  gladness,  to  change  grief  to  joy, 
to  temper  a  stricken  heart  with  the  oil  of  kindness, 
to  lift  a  gloomy  soul  up  to  the  realm  of  hope,  peace, 
and  pleasure. 

All  these  it  has  done  for  us !  Everything  in  this 
world  would  be  valueless  without  the  tenderness  and 
sympathy  and  love  of  woman.  I  love  the  friendship 
of  woman  because  it  is  the  noblest,  the  purest,  and 
best.  It  ennobles  man  and  excites  pure  aspirations ; 


180      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

it  breathes  softness  over  a  rough  nature  and  blends 
gentleness  with  strong  character!  I  know  its  force, 
and  have  felt  its  touch  lift  a  burdened  heart  to  new 
hopes  !  O  woman's  friendship,  transcendent  blessing ! 
Like  the  sunlight,  it  glorifies  manhood;  like  the 
flower,  it  beautifies  it,  and  like  an  angel's  prayer,  it 
sanctifies  it. 


HUNDREDTH    BIRTHDAY   OF    ROBERT    E. 
LEE 

[Speech  delivered  at  the  Commemorative  Service  of  the  one 
hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee, 
Trinity  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  Portsmouth,  Va.,  12, 
noon,  January  19,  1907.] 

WE  should  rejoice  on  this  hundredth  birthday  of 
General  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  thank  God  for  the  blessed 
privilege  of  assembling  here,  in  His  holy  temple,  to 
declare  the  pride  we  have  in  the  name  and  fame  of  our 
great  military  commander,  who  was  ever  a  consistent 
and  broad-minded  member  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church.  All  of  his  graces  were  set  in  the  glori- 
ous background  of  Christian  manliness ;  whether  ex- 
hilarated by  victory  or  crushed  by  defeat,  God  was 
in  his  mind,  and  praise  for  the  All  Powerful  was  on 
his  lips. 

If  vanity  ever  entered  his  heart,  no  man  observed 
it  from  his  manner  or  heard  it  from  his  tongue.  His 
bearing  gave  no  evidence  of  boastfulness  for  his 
splendid  physical  development ;  his  language  no  touch 
of  conceit  for  his  great  victories ;  his  brilliant  intel- 
lect had  no  cast  of  self-adulation. 

Robert  E.  Lee,  when  I  saw  him  in  life,  was  my 
ideal  of  a  Christian  commander  and  a  polished  gen- 
tleman. No  man  whom  I  have  ever  met  has  presented 
to  me  such  a  spotless  character,  and  none  has  im- 
pressed me  more  deeply  when  the  spirit  of  ambition 
swells  in  my  bosom.  His  example  tells  me  that  the 

181 


182      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

basis  of  all  true  greatness  is  a  Christian  spirit.  I 
love  you,  my  Confederate  comrades,  and  at  this  altar 
I  devoutly  pray  that  you  will  march  down  the  straight 
and  narrow  path  that  Robert  E.  Lee  followed  to  the 
new  Jerusalem. 

An  unbroken  thread  of  Christian  faith  governed 
his  life  from  childhood  to  the  end.  As  a  student  he 
was  so  devoted  to  duty  that  he  never  received  a  de- 
merit ;  as  a  young  officer  in  the  army  on  the  Texan 
frontier  his  heart  was  always  filled  with  loving  kind- 
ness, so  beautifully  demonstrated  when  called  upon 
by  his  sergeant  to  perform  the  funeral  rites  over  his 
child.  Describing  the  scene  in  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Lee, 
Colonel  Lee  wrote :  "  He  was  as  handsome  a  little 
boy  as  I  ever  saw  .  .  .  about  a  year  old ;  I  was 
admiring  his  appearance  the  day  before  he  was  taken 
ill.  Last  Thursday  his  little  waxen  form  was  -com- 
mitted to  the  earth.  His  father  came  to  me,  the  tears 
flowing  down  his  cheeks,  and  asked  me  to  read  the 
funeral  service  over  his  body,  which  I  did  at  the 
grave,  for  the  second  time  in  my  life.  I  hope  I  shall 
not  be  called  on  again,  for,  though  I  believe  it  is  far 
better  for  the  child  to  be  called  to  its  Heavenly  Crea- 
tor, into  His  presence  in  its  purity  and  innocence, 
unpolluted  by  sin,  and  uncontaminated  by  the  vices 
of  the  world,  still  it  so  wrings  a  parent's  heart  with 
anguish  that  it  is  painful  to  see.  Yet  I  know  it  was 
done  in  mercy  to  both — mercy  to  the  child,  mercy  to 
the  parents.  The  former  has  been  saved  from  sin 
and  misery  here,  and  the  latter  have  been  given  a 
touching  appeal  and  powerful  inducement  to  prepare 
for  hereafter.  May  it  prove  effectual,  and  may  they 
require  no  further  severe  admonition !  " 


BIRTHDAY    OF    ROBERT    E.    LEE    183 

How  deep  the  faith,  how  pure  the  heart  of  Robert 
Lee,  when  glittering  military  ambition  might  have 
been  his  soul's  idol!  Such  glamour  never  shaded  his 
vision  ;  duty  was  his  guiding  star,  and  if  it  led  to  pro- 
motion, he  gave  all  credit  to  the  Lord  God. 

It  was  a  trial  for  him  to  resign  from  the  national 
service.  He  loved  the  Union,  and  would  have  given, 
if  he  had  owned  them,  the  four  millions  of  slaves  to 
save  it ;  but  when  its  power  was  invoked  to  coerce  his 
State,  then  his  fortune  and  his  life  were  for  Virginia. 
He  did  not  draw  his  sword  for  slavery — he  gave  his 
slaves  their  freedom,  and  fought  for  principles  as  he 
invoked  his  soldiers  in  his  first  field  order :  "  That 
each  man  resolve  to  be  victorious,  and  that  in  him 
the  right  of  self-government,  liberty,  and  peace  shall 
find  a  defender."  When  contentions  were  rife  be- 
tween his  generals  in  southwest  Virginia,  he  counseled 
them  to  overlook  all  till  the  enemy  was  driven  back. 
"  I  expect  this  of  your  magnanimity,"  he  said. 

This  most  exalted  virtue  always  guided  the  con- 
duct of  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  the  spirit  of  revenge  never 
touched  his  stainless  sword.  When  his  splendid  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  marched  to  the  invasion  of 
Pennsylvania,  he  issued  orders  that  private  property 
should  be  respected  with  scrupulous  care.  "  It  must 
be  remembered  that  we  make  war  only  upon  armed 
men,  and  that  we  cannot  take  vengeance  for  the 
wrongs  our  people  have  suffered,  without  lowering 
ourselves  in  the  eyes  of  all  whose  abhorrence  has  been 
excited  by  the  atrocities  of  our  enemy,  and  offending 
against  Him  to  Whom  vengeance  belongeth  and  with- 
out Whose  favor  and  support  our  efforts  must  prove 
in  vain !  "  Although  his  people  were  stung,  by  the 


184      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

reckless  and  wanton  destruction  of  private  property 
in  our  State,  he  firmly  forbade  retaliation.  He 
planted  his  military  conduct  on  the  high  ground  of 
civilized  warfare,  and  he  is  to-day  honored  by  civili- 
zation for  it. 

Immediately  after  the  secession  of  Virginia  he  was 
made  general-in-chief  of  all  her  forces.  He  at  once 
set  about  organizing  her  soldiers  and  directed  forti- 
fications on  the  harbor  of  Portsmouth  and  Norfolk. 
When  Virginia  joined  her  forces  with  the  Confeder- 
acy, Lee  was  made  one  of  five  generals,  third  in 
rank,  and  retained  in  Richmond  as  adviser  to  the 
President.  Afterwards  he  was  ordered  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Northwest  Virginia  Army.  When  re- 
called from  that  field  he  took  command  of  the  De- 
partment of  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Florida. 
On  March  13,  1862,  he  was  assigned  to  conduct  the 
operations  of  all  the  armies  of  the  Confederacy  under 
direction  of  the  President,  and  returned  to  Richmond. 
After  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines,  on  June  1,  1862,  he 
was  assigned  to  the  personal  command  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia,  and  under  him  a  series  of  splen- 
did victories  were  gained  over  McClellan,  and  the 
siege  of  Richmond  was  raised.  I  cannot  now  speak 
of  his  matchless  campaigns  with  this  army,  but  when- 
ever he  issued  a  congratulatory  order  for  a  victory, 
he  expressed  gratitude  to  the  Heavenly  Father,  the 
Giver  of  all  blessings. 

On  April  9,  1865,  the  sun  of  all  the  glorious  mili- 
tary victories  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  set 
forever;  and  then  he  bore  the  burden  with  all  the 
patient  graces  of  exalted  manhood.  I  had  often  seen 
him  with  this  army  on  great  battlefields,  but  when  I 


BIRTHDAY    OF    ROBERT    E.    LEE    185 

saw  him  amidst  the  shattered  ranks  of  his  hungry 
soldiers  at  Appomattox  I  admired  and  loved  him,  if 
possible,  more  than  before.  I  heard  there  his  fare- 
well, which  has  been  appointed  to  be  read  at  this  hour 
in  all  the  celebrations  of  this  centennial  birthday  of 
Robert  E.  Lee,  wherever  held. 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

"  April  10th,  1865. 

"  After  four  years  of  arduous  service,  marked  by 
unsurpassed  courage  and  fortitude,  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  has  been  compelled  to  yield  to  over- 
whelming numbers  and  resources.  I  need  not  tell  the 
survivors  of  so  many  hard-fought  battles,  who  have 
remained  steadfast  to  the  last,  that  I  have  consented 
to  this  result  from  no  distrust  of  them ;  but  feeling 
that  valor  and  devotion  could  accomplish  nothing 
that  could  compensate  for  the  loss  that  would  have 
attended  the  continuation  of  the  contest,  I  have  de- 
termined to  avoid  the  useless  sacrifice  of  those  whose 
past  services  have  endeared  them  to  their  country- 
men. By  the  terms  of  the  agreement  officers  and  men 
can  return  to  their  homes,  and  remain  there  until 
exchanged. 

"  You  will  take  with  you  the  satisfaction  that  pro- 
ceeds from  the  consciousness  of  duty  faithfully  per- 
formed; and  I  earnestly  pray  that  a  merciful  God 
will  extend  to  you  His  blessing  and  protection.  With 
an  unceasing  admiration  for  your  constancy,  and  de- 
votion to  your  country,  and  a  grateful  remembrance 
of  your  kind  and  generous  consideration  of  myself, 
I  bid  you  an  affectionate  farewell. 

"R.  E.  LEE,  General." 


186      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

When  some  of  his  men  gathered  around  him  to 
shake  hands  in  farewell,  he  said :  "  Men,  we  have 
fought  through  the  war  together.  I  have  done  my 
best  for  you,  my  heart  is  too  full  to  say  more."  I 
saw  him  ride  away  from  the  scene  of  surrender,  and 
I  witnessed  with  deep  emotion  that  every  head  uncov- 
ered as  he  passed  through  the  broken  ranks  of  sol- 
diers on  his  way  to  Richmond.  Stonewall  Jackson, 
whose  birthday  we  jointly  celebrate,  had  "  passed 
over  the  river  and  was  resting  under  the  shade  of  the 
trees  "  when  this  solemn  separation  came  to  pass. 

After  the  downfall  of  the  Confederacy  General 
Lee,  although  tendered  a  luxurious  home  abroad  and 
many  excellent  business  offers,  declined  all  to  become 
president  of  Washington  and  Lee  University,  saying: 
"  I  have  led  the  young  men  of  the  South  in  battle.  I 
must  teach  their  sons  to  discharge  their  duty  in  life." 
And  in  this  noble  'Calling  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  After  the  cessation  of  hostilities  he  always 
advised  his  people  to  be  obedient  to  the  powers  that 
be,  to  unite  in  honest  efforts  to  obliterate  the  effects 
of  war  and  restore  the  blessings  of  peace.  He  said: 
"  I  have  fought  against  the  people  of  the  North  be- 
cause I  believed  they  were  seeking  to  wrest  from  the 
South  her  dearest  rights.  But  I  have  never  cherished 
towards  them  bitter  or  vindictive  feelings,  and  I  have 
never  seen  the  day  when  I  did  not  pray  for  them." 

He  was  a  firm  believer  that  "  truth  and  justice  will 
at  last  prevail."  We  observe  every  day  that  States' 
rights  are  asserted  in  sections  of  our  country  hitherto 
unknown,  and  that  the  fundamental  principles  of 
government  for  which  Lee  drew  his  sword  are  grow- 
ing stronger  and  stronger  year  by  year. 


BIRTHDAY    OF    ROBERT    E.    LEE    187 

Robert  E.  Lee  was  born  January  19,  1807,  and 
died  October  12,  1870.  The  world  paid  tribute  to 
his  memory  and  placed  him  in  the  highest  rank  of 
martial  heroes.  Our  Robert  E.  Lee  stands  above 
Caesar,  above  Napoleon,  above  Wellington,  higher 
than  Alexander,  Marlborough,  or  Frederick,  greater 
than  our  own  George  Washington,  and  as  long  as  the 
race  of  men,  as  long  as  the  English-speaking  people 
shall  exist,  so  long  will  the  example  of  Lee  and  Jack- 
son give  light  and  glory  to  the  American  Common- 
wealths which  sacrificed  their  children  from  1861  to 
1865  for  constitutional  liberty. 

"  In  the  valley  of  Virginia,  Lee  and  Stonewall  Jackson  sleep ; 

Fame  and  Memory  o'er  their  ashes  aye  the  guard  of  honor 
keep. 

There  the  mountains  of  marble,  and  the  South  wind's  haunt- 
ing sighs, 

And  the  pine  and  palm  wreaths  mingled,  mark  where  knight- 
hood lowly  lies. 

"  In  the  warm  hearts  of  a  nation,  in  the  spirit  of  a  race, 
There  the  deathless  souls  of  Chivalry  to-day  find  dwelling- 
place; 

There  it  breathes  and  burns  forever  in  our  patriotic  pride, 
Ours,  the  heirs  of  Lee  and  Jackson,  while  they  rest,  shrined 
side  by  side. 

"  One,  the  Cavalier  ennobled,  born  to  counsel  and  to  lead ; 
One,  the  Puritan  unflinching,  holding  fast  the  ancient  creed; 
Each  a  valiant  Christian  soldier,  wearer  of  a  stainless  sword, 
Deeming,  both,  in  all  our  language  Duty  the  sublimest  word. 

"  They  together,  men  and  heroes,  to  the  God  of  Battles  gave 
All  the  faith  of  high  endeavor,  for  the  guerdon  of  the  brave. 
Still  together,  never  vanquished,  they  unfading  laurels  reap — 
In  the  valley  of  Virginia,  Lee  and  Stonewall  Jackson  sleep ! " 


THE   ARMY   OF   NORTHERN    VIRGINIA 

[Speech  delivered  at  the  seventeenth  annual  banquet  of 
Picket-Buchannan  Camp,  Confederate  Veterans  and  Sons  of 
Veterans,  in  commemoration  of  the  birthday  of  General  Robert 
E.  Lee,  on  Saturday  night,  January  19,  1907,  at  the  Monticello 
Hotel,  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  response  to  the  toast: 

"THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA!" 

"  The  peerless  host  of  a  peerless  leader."] 

GENTLEMEN  :  I  am  unable  to  say  anything  new  of 
the  peerless  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  or  of  its 
peerless  commander,  Robert  E.  Lee,  to  this  audience, 
and  can  only  hope  to  refresh  your  memories  with 
some  events  which  long  ago  startled  the  world. 

The  Department  of  Northern  Virginia  was  estab- 
lished by  general  orders  No.  15,  dated  at  Richmond, 
October  22,  1861.  It  was  composed  of  three  dis- 
tricts: the  Valley  District,  commanded  by  Major- 
General  T.  J.  Jackson ;  the  Potomac  District,  com- 
manded by  General  P.  G.  T.  Beauregard,  and  the 
Acquia  District,  commanded  by  Ma j  or-General  T.  H. 
Holmes.  This  department  extended  from  the  Alle- 
ghany  Mountains  to  the  mouth  of  the  Potomac  River, 
and  was  under  command  of  General  Joseph  E.  John- 
ston. 

It  is  best  for  me  to  repeat  the  account  of  an  im- 
partial or  disinterested  writer  as  to  the  sum  of  the 
achievements  and  endurance  of  our  army  in  its  great 
wrestle  for  Southern  independence.  The  London 

188 


ARMY    OF    NORTHERN    VIRGINIA       189 

Evening  Herald,  an  English  newspaper,  comment- 
ing upon  our  army's  surrender  said :  "  The  South  is 
doomed.  With  the  surrender  of  Lee  ends,  not  indeed 
the  possibility  of  military  defense,  still  less  that  of 
desperate  popular  resistance,  but  hope  of  final  suc- 
cess. After  four  years  of  war,  sustained  with  a 
gallantry  and  resolution  that  have  few,  if  any, 
precedents  in  history ;  after  such  sacrifices  as  perhaps 
no  nation  ever  made  in  vain ;  after  losses  that  have 
drained  the  life-blood  of  the  country ;  after  a  series 
of  brilliant  victories,  gained  under  unequaled  disad- 
vantage, courage,  skill,  and  devotion  have  succumbed 
to  brute  force ;  numbers  have  prevailed  over  the 
bravest  and  most  united  people  that  ever  drew  the 
sword  in  defense  of  civil  rights  and  national  inde- 
pendence. To  numbers,  and  to  numbers  alone,  the 
North  owes  its  triumph.  Its  advantages  in  wealth  and 
resources,  in  the  possession  of  the  sea  and  the  com- 
mand of  the  rivers,  were  neutralized  by  Southern 
gallantry.  In  despite  of  the  most  numerous  navy 
in  the  world,  half  a  dozen  cruisers  drove  its  commerce 
from  the  seas.  In  despite  of  its  overwhelming 
superiority  in  strength  of  ships  and  guns,  improvised 
Southern  ironclads  beat  and  drove  off  its  blockading 
squadrons,  and  Southern  cavalry,  embarking  on  little 
river  steamers,  captured  its  armed  gunboats.  In 
defiance  of  all  its  power,  Southern  energy  contrived 
to  supply  the  armies  of  the  Confederate  States  with 
everything  of  which  they  stood  in  need. 

"  When  the  war  broke  out,  the  North  had  every- 
thing of  military  store  in  abundance,  and  could  draw 
unlimited  supplies  from  Europe ;  the  South  had 
scarcely  a  cannon,  had  but  few  rifles,  still  fewer 


190      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

swords  or  bayonets,  and  not  a  single  foundry  or  pow- 
der factory.  All  these  deficiencies  were  supplied  by  the 
foresight  of  the  Confederate  Government  and  the 
daring  of  the  Confederate  armies.  The  routed  forces 
of  the  North  supplied  artillery  and  ammunition,  rifles 
and  bayonets,  to  the  Southerners.  The  cannon  which 
thundered  against  Gettysburg,  the  shot  which 
crushed  the  brave  mercenaries  of  Burnside  on  the 
slopes  above  Fredericksburg,  came  for  the  most  part 
from  Northen  arsenals. 

"  No  Southern  failure  is  attributed  to  want  of  arms 
or  powder ;  no  Federal  success  was  won  by  the 
enormous  advantages  which  the  North  enjoyed  in  its 
favor.  If  their  numbers  had  been  equal,  long  ago 
would  the  Federal  Government  have  taken  refuge  at 
Boston  or  New  York,  and  every  inch  of  Southern 
soil  have  been  free  from  the  step  of  the  invader. 
Numbers,  and  numbers  alone,  have  decided  the 
struggle.  Almost  every  battle  was  won  by  the  South, 
but  every  Southern  victory  has  been  rendered  fruit- 
less by  the  overwhelming  numerical  superiority  of  the 
vanquished.  The  conquerers  found  themselves  on 
every  occasion  confronted  by  new  armies,  and  de- 
prived of  the  fruits  of  victory  by  the  facility  with 
which  the  broken  ranks  of  the  enemy  were  replenished. 
The  smaller  losses  of  the  South  were  irreparable. 
The  greater  sacrifices  of  the  North  were  of  no  con- 
sequence whatever  in  the  eyes  of  a  government  which 
lavished  the  lives  of  hired  foreign  mercenaries  in  the 
knowledge  that  money  could  repair  all  that  folly 
and  ferocity  might  destroy.  The  South  has  perished 
by  exhaustion — by  sheer  inability  to  recruit  her  ex- 
hausted armies." 


ARMY    OF    NORTHERN    VIRGINIA      191 

All  of  this  may  not  be  literally  true,  but  few 
writers,  even  on  the  ground,  could  have  more  vividly 
pictured  the  conditions.  Odds  did  not  count  with 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  At  bloody  Sharps- 
burg  33,000  Confederates  repulsed  90,000  Union 
soldiers ;  at  Chancellorsville  35,000  defeated  over 
100,000  Federals;  in  the  Wilderness  Lee  met  and 
whipped  142,000  Federals,  the  largest  single  army 
ever  assembled  in  America,  with  50,000  Confederates, 
and  without  any  reinforcements  continued  to  break 
and  beat  back  Grant's  army,  increased  by  60,000 
more. 

Grant's  -columns,  which  fought  from  the  Wilder- 
ness to  Appomattox,  splendidly  equipped  and 
abundantly  fed,  including  reinforcements,  numbered 
275,000  men,  and  Lee  had  to  meet  this  mighty  host 
with  not  more  than  75,000,  on  short  rations,  with 
scanty  clothes  and  poorly  armed.  At  last,  during 
the  siege  of  Petersburg,  33,000  hungry  and  shivering 
soldiers  held  thirty-five  miles  of  defenses  from  June, 
1864,  until  April,  1865,  when  the  overwhelming  rein- 
forcements of  the  enemy  broke  the  thin  line  and 
forced  the  retreat,  leading  to  the  end. 

The  conditions  of  our  army  are  well  described  in 
the  following  extract  from  a  letter  of  General  Lee 
to  the  Secretary  of  War :  "  All  the  disposable  force 
of  the  right  wing  of  the  army  has  been  operating 
against  the  enemy  beyond  Hatcher's  Run  since 
Sunday.  Yesterday,  the  most  inclement  day  of  the 
winter,  they  had  to  be  retained  in  line  of  battle, 
having  been  in  the  same  condition  the  two  previous 
days  and  nights.  I  regret  to  be  obliged  to  state 
that  under  these  circumstances,  heightened  by 


192      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

assaults  and  fire  of  the  enemy,  some  of  the  men  had 
been  without  meat  for  three  days,  and  all  were  suffer- 
ing from  reduced  rations  and  scant  clothing,  exposed 
to  battle,  cold,  hail  and  sleet.  ...  If  some 
change  is  not  made  and  the  commissary  department 
reorganized,  I  apprehend  dire  results.  The  physical 
strength  of  the  men,  if  their  courage  survives,  must 
fail  under  this  treatment.  Our  cavalry  has  been 
dispersed  for  want  of  forage.  .  .  .  Taking 
these  facts  in  connection  with  the  paucity  of  our 
numbers,  you  must  not  be  surprised  if  calamity 
befalls  us." 

Some  of  you  doubtless  remember  these  conditions. 
I  do  very  vividly,  as  I  happened  to  be  one  of  the 
soldiers  in  the  line  of  battle  described  by  General  Lee. 
It  is  wonderful  with  what  stout-hearted  cheerfulness 
our  soldiers  bore  their  burdens.  I  remember,  while 
on  the  retreat  from  Petersburg,  one  evening  the  fires 
were  blazing  on  a  hillside  with  the  men  grouped 
around  waiting  for  their  rations,  when  the  com- 
missary sergeants  brought  for  each  man  three  ears  of 
corn  to  be  parched  for  supper.  A  great  cry  arose 
everywhere.  "  Bring  the  long  forage,  where  is  my 
fodder,"  all  in  good  nature;  and  still  these  dear 
soldiers  obeyed  every  order  with  alacrity,  inflicting 
upon  the  great  hosts  of  their  pursuers  from  the  29th 
of  March  to  the  9th  of  April,  1865,  a  loss  of  10,780 
men.  Thousands  of  our  soldiers  failing  in  physical 
strength,  unable  to  march,  fell  by  the  wayside,  and 
were  captured.  Our  depleted  army  was  fighting  and 
marching  day  and  night  on  the  retreat  until  its  ranks 
had  dwindled  down  to  7892  muskets,  which  were 


ARMY    OF    NORTHERN    VIRGINIA      193 

stacked  in  surrender  at  Appomattox;  virtually 
crushed  beneath  ponderous  numerical  weight. 

A  little  boy  was  reading  the  story  of  a  missionary 
having  been  eaten  by  cannibals. 

"  Papa,"  he  asked,  "  will  the  missionary  go  to 
heaven  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  son,"  replied  the  father. 

"  And  will  the  cannibals  go  there  too?  " 

"  No,"  was  the  reply.  After  thinking  the  matter 
over  some  time  the  little  fellow  said :  "  Well,  I  don't 
see  how  the  missionary  can  go  to  heaven,  if  the  can- 
nibals don't,  when  he  is  inside  the  cannibals." 

Our  neighbors  over  the  Potomac  with  their  hosts 
swallowed  us  as  the  cannibals  did  the  missionary, 
and  since  they  have  begun  to  digest  us  they  have  so 
greatly  changed  in  mind  as  to  conclude  that  we 
ought  to  manage  our  own  internal  affairs  and  even 
solve  the  race  problem — which  we  shall  do  with  honor 
to  ourselves  and  justice  to  the  negroes. 

Once  on  the  Petersburg  lines  two  opposite  videttes 
were  talking  in  a  bantering  humor,  when  the  cook 
brought  up  the  scant  rations  of  the  Confederate.  The 
Federal  said: 

"  Johnnie,  do  you  get  full  rations  now?  " 

"  Oh,  yes." 

"  Get  any  meat?" 

"  Yes ;  plenty." 

"  Well,  be  sure  to  save  the  fat  to  grease  your  body 
well,  so  you  can  easily  slip  back  in  the  Union." 

This  was  one  on  Johnnie,  and  they  joined  in  a 
hearty  laugh. 

Well,  after  a  long  struggle,  when  we  were  not 
only  meatless  and  greaseless,  but  breadless,  they  did 


194      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

drag  us  back  in  the  Union,  and  ever  since,  according 
to  the  advice  of  General  Lee,  we  have  been  making  the 
best  of  the  situation  and  cultivating  friendly  rela- 
tions with  our  late  armed  foes,  working  hard  to  build 
up  the  waste  places  and  make  our  fields  bloom  like 
the  rose,  but  we  are  still  proud  of  the  old  gray  jacket. 

"  Then  stand  up,  oh,  my  countrymen ! 

And  unto  God  give  thanks, 
On  mountains,  and  on  hillsides, 

And  by  the  sloping  river  banks — 
Thank  God  that  you  were  worthy 

Of  the  grand  Confederate  ranks; 
That  you  who  came  from  uplands 

And  from  beside  the  sea, 
Filled  with  love  of  old  Virginia 

And  the  teachings  of  the  free, 
May  boast  in  sight  of  all  men 

That  you  followed  Robert  Lee." 


MAHONE'S    BRIGADE 

[The  first  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  Mahone's  Brigade  who 
were  in  the  charge  of  the  Crater  took  place  at  Petersburg  on 
November  6,  1903.  Owing  to  the  stormy  weather  and  other 
unavoidable  delays,  they  did  not  assemble  on  the  field  until 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Then  the  Crater  Legion 
marched  to  the  ravine  and  formed  in  line  of  battle  where 
the  brigade  had  formed  on  July  30,  1864.  It  knelt  in  prayer, 
which  was  led  by  Lieutenant  John  T.  West,  chaplain,  after 
which  the  accompanying  speech  was  delivered.  At  the  con- 
clusion of  the  speech  the  order  "  forward "  was  given,  and 
the  whole  line  rushed  up  the  hill  at  a  run  with  the  "  Rebel  " 
yell,  which  aroused  the  ten  thousand  onlookers.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  sham  battle  of  the  Virginia  Volunteers,  which 
made  the  scene  even  more  thrilling,  and  so  realistic,  that  the 
great  assemblage  of  people  appeared  intoxicated  with  de- 
light.] 

MY  COMRADES  OF  MAHONE'S  BRIGADE,  SURVIVORS  OF 
THE  CHARGE  OF  THE  CRATER: 

It  is  meet  to  thank  God  in  a  grateful  spirit  and 
with  a  loving  heart  for  the  privilege  of  forming  again 
on  this  old  line  of  battle.  I  would  rather  stand  here 
to-day,  conscious  of  having  performed  my  duty  in 
the  peril  of  July  30,  1864,  than  own  thousands  of 
gold  and  silver.  Let  us  proclaim  the  Truth  in  Love ! 

We  here  declare  that  we  fought  for  right  and  jus- 
tice, for  constitutional  liberty,  for  our  homes  and  for 
our  firesides ;  and  stand  up  before  all  men  as  proud 
as  a  king  of  the  uniform  we  wore  in  the  Confederate 
ranks. 

The  dust  of  our  uncoffined  comrades  has  been 
stirred  in  these  furrows  by  the  plow  of  the  unthink- 

195 


196      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

ing  husbandman  as  the  seasons  have  passed,  but  we 
have  cherished  their  memory  as  the  vestal  fire  of  our 
lives. 

From  this  line  you  rose  upon  your  knees,  rushed 
as  a  whirlwind  over  this  field  and  crushed  the  black 
battalions  which  had  started  down  the  hill  in  more 
than  fourfold  your  numbers,  hissing  "  no  quarter  " 
in  your  ears,  bent  on  capturing  the  city  of  Peters- 
burg. 

No  wonder  Mahone  said,  "  You  must  save  the 
city !  "  No  wonder  Emmett  Richardson  shouted, 
"  Now  is  your  time,  boys,  if  you  are  ever  going  to 
do  anything  for  the  old  Cockade  City !  "  No  wonder 
all  went  forward  to  do  or  die. 

At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  Burnside  reported 
that  "  many  of  the  Ninth  and  Eighteenth  Corps  were 
retiring  before  the  enemy."  You  were  the  enemy 
who  swept  them  back,  and  Lee  said  it  was  the  work 
of  heroes.  While  at  your  posts,  yonder  at  Willcox 
Farm,  you  heard  the  tremendous  explosion  of  eight 
thousands  pounds  of  gunpowder,  which  had  been 
buried  twenty-two  feet  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  forcing  the  upheaval  of  an  immense  cone  of 
more  than  one  hundred  thousand  cubic  feet  of  earth, 
which  fell  around  in  heavy  masses,  crushing  and 
burying  alive  hundreds  of  our  sleeping  soldiers,  mak- 
ing clouds  of  dust  and  a  great  volume  of  smoke  and 
fire  like  the  outpouring  of  a  great  volcano. 

The  main  gallery  of  the  mine  from  the  enemy's 
line  to  the  end,  under  Pegram's  Battery,  was  522 
feet  in  length  and  the  side  galleries  were  about  40 
feet  each.  The  excavation  made  by  the  explosion 
was  135  feet  long,  97  feet  broad  and  30  feet  deep. 


MAHONE'S   BRIGADE  197 

The  artillery  opened  along  the  whole  line  and  that 
day  the  enemy  expended  3833  rounds  of  ammunition, 
weighing  75  tons. 

Burnside  had  planned  to  rush  his  negro  troops  into 
the  breach  and  throw  them  into  the  city  upon  the 
sleeping  inhabitants,  but  his  superiors,  Grant  and 
Meade,  made  him  push  his  three  white  divisions,  com- 
manded by  Ledlie,  Potter,  and  Willcox,  foremost; 
and  they  took  possession  of  the  Crater  and  about 
two  hundred  yards  of  our  breastworks,  including  the 
rear  works,  termed  in  the  reports  "  trench  cavalier." 

He  then  put  in  his  negro  division  of  nine  regiments, 
commanded  by  General  Edward  Ferrero,  to  press 
beyond  the  white  divisions  and  capture  that  crest, 
then  the  very  gateway  to  the  city. 

The  enemy  held  our  works  from  4 :45  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  when  the  mine  was  exploded,  until  8 :45, 
when  the  negroes  emerged  from  the  trenches,  shout- 
ing, "  Remember  Fort  Pillow ;  no  quarter  for 
Rebels !  "  and  coming  down  this  hill,  you  met  them 
in  the  open  field,  hurled  them  back  upon  their  white 
supports,  recapturing  our  lines,  both  "  trench 
cavalier  "  and  the  main  line  up  to  the  crest  of  the 
Crater ;  and  you  held  on  to  every  inch  you  gained, 
and  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  Sanders'  Brigade 
made  their  splendid  charge  and  finished  the  work  of 
re-establishing  our  lines. 

The  eight  hundred  men  of  Mahone's  Brigade  who 
aligned  in  this  ravine  on  that  parching  July  day, 
charged  into  an  army  corps !  Burnside's  Corps  re- 
ported the  day  after  the  battle,  present  equipped  for 
duty,  9555  infantry,  and  he  gave  as  his  loss  on  the 
30th  of  July  3475  officers  and  men. 


198       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

He  swore  before  the  court  of  inquiry  that  he  put 
every  single  man  of  his  corps  in  the  fight.  Then  he 
must  have  put  in  13,030  men.  Now,  crediting  3000 
as  his  loss  up  to  the  time  you  rose  from  this  place 
to  charge,  there  were  more  than  10,000  men  of  his 
corps  in  the  works  (not  counting  those  of  the  Eight- 
eenth Corps  he  mentions),  when  you  charged  up  this 
hill  to  retake  them.  Besides  there  were  four  army 
corps  (Birney,  Hancock,  Ord,  and  Warren)  over 
behind,  in  supporting  distance,  aggregating  prob- 
ably more  than  Lee  had  in  the  entire  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia,  which  was  stretched  out  on  a  line  of 
thirty  miles. 

You  captured  fifteen  of  their  flags,  uncounted 
small  arms,  and  a  number  of  prisoners.  General  Lee, 
General  Beauregard,  and  General  A.  P.  Hill  looked 
on  from  yonder  elevation  and  saw  you  perform  one 
of  the  most  wonderful  feats  in  the  annals  of  warfare. 
It  sounds  like  fiction,  and  although  I  saw  it  and  was 
of  it  in  a  small  measure,  I  sometimes  wonder  how  it 
was  done.  Its  magnitude  was  marvelous !  Its 
achievement  was  one  of  the  most  thrilling  in  human 
experience ! 

Is  there  any  such  record  in  the  world's  history 
where  five  regiments,  averaging  175  soldiers,  charged 
an  army  of  10,000  men  and  took  from  them  fifteen 
of  their  battle  standards? 

The  testimony  of  the  enemy  established  the  truth 
of  the  wonderful  victory,  and  the  lamentation  of 
Grant,  "  It  is  the  saddest  affair  I  have  witnessed  in 
the  war,"  re-echoed  the  praise  bestowed  on  your  valor 
by  the  peerless  Lee.  But  the  cost  to  you  of  his  praise 
was  the  sacrifice  of  117  lives  of  your  bravest  com- 


MAHONE'S   BRIGADE  199 

rades,  and  to  them  we  owe  the  duty  of  inscribing 
their  names  on  imperishable  tablets  in  our  temple  of 
fame,  soon  to  be  erected  in  the  capitol  city  of  the 
South,  and  let  us  also  ask  a  place  for  them  on  the 
walls  of  old  Blandford  Church. 

"  For  those  who  fell  be  yours  the  sacred  trust 
To  see  forgetfulness  shall  not  invade 
The  spots  made  holy  by  their  noble  dust; 
Green  keep  them  in  your  hearts,  Mahone's  Brigade." 

A  distinguished  soldier  and  eminent  citizen  of  Rich- 
niond  has  said,  "  With  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia there  were  three  critical  occasions  requiring 
above  other  occasions,  real  heroism: 

"  First,  Jackson  holding  the  line  at  First  Manassas 
with  his  brigade  from  the  mountain  section. 

"  Second,  the  charge  of  Pickett's  Division  at  Get- 
tysburg, composed  of  Virginians  from  all  sections, 
most  of  them  from  the  middle  section  of  Virginia. 

"  Third,  the  charge  of  eight  hundred  men  of  Ma- 
hone's  Brigade,  under  Colonel  D.  A.  Weisiger,  at 
the  Crater,  before  Petersburg,  Virginians  from  the 
Tidewater  section  of  Virginia." 

They  were  all  picturesque  occasions  and  required 
all  the  courage  in  men,  and  Virginians  did  not  fail 
from  any  quarter  of  the  dear  old  State.  This  is  a 
great  tribute  to  the  soldiers  of  Virginia,  which  gleams 
out  as  the  evening  star  in  the  shadows  of  night  above 
surrounding  constellations — a  stone  wall  at  Manas- 
sas, high  tide  at  Gettysburg,  victors  at  the  Crater! 

Soldiers !  nothing  in  all  the  earth  could  bring  more 
honor  to  your  name  than  the  part  you  acted  on  this 
field  in  throwing  yourselves  into  the  breach  to  save 


200       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

the  inhabitants  of  dear  old  Petersburg  from  the 
brutal  malice  of  negro  soldiers  in  the  flush  of  suc- 
cess, and  in  saving  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia 
on  that  critical  occasion.  Privates !  Soldiers  with 
muskets ! 

"  Men  of  the  ranks,  step  proudly  to  the  front, 
'Twas  yours  unknown  through  sheeted  flame  to  wade, 
In  the  red  battle's  fierce  and  deadly  brunt; 
Yours  be  full  laurels  in  Mahone's  Brigade." 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  CRATER 

[The  following  address  was  delivered  at  the  reunion  of  the 
survivors  of  the  Battle  of  the  Crater  in  connection  with  the 
Grand  Camp  reunion  in  Petersburg,  October  26,  1905.  It  was 
to  have  been  delivered  on  the  old  battlefield  that  day,  but  as 
bad  weather  broke  up  the  sham  battle  the  survivors  heard  it  in 
the  hall  of  the  reunion  instead:] 

MY  COMRADES: 

The  goodness  of  God  endureth  forever.  I  thank 
Him  for  an  over-deserving  share,  and  bless  His  name 
for  this  day  and  this  privilege  of  meeting  you. 

Our  pilgrimage  to  this  field  of  blood  recalls  the 
eventful  times  of  war,  which,  although  resulting  in 
final  surrender,  has  embalmed  its  sacred  memories  in 
our  hearts. 

These  sacrificial  years  will  ever  be  regarded  with 
tenderness  and  love — love  immortalized  by  memory ; 
for  those  days  of  thrilling  danger,  long  marches  and 
short  rations  invoke  the  highest  ideal  of  manhood. 

"  They  say  that  Hope  is  Happiness, 
But  genuine  Love  must  prize  the  past; 
And  Memory  makes  the  thoughts  that  bless, 
They  rose  the  first,  they  set  the  last. 
And  all  that  Memory  leaves  the  most 
Was  once  our  only  hope  to  be: 
And  all  that  Hope  adored  and  lost 
Hath  melted  into  Memory." 

I  would  rather  go  down  to  posterity  as  the 
humblest  private  soldier,  whose  shoeless  feet  made 
blood  tracks  on  the  soil  of  Virginia,  than  the  richest 

201 


202      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

magnate  who  ever  clipped  coupons  from  corporate 
bonds.  Who  would  not  suffer  for  the  honor  of  a 
soldier  rather  than  live  in  luxury  to  be  the  sneer  of 
time?  Who  would  not  bear  the  name  of  the  disarmed 
Southern  soldier  fighting  with  his  fists  in  the  bloody 
trenches  of  the  Crater,  rather  than  that  which  gath- 
ered gold  from  orphans'  hunger  and  widows'  tears? 

I  speak,  now,  to  demand  simple  justice  at  the  hands 
of  history  for  the  men  who  saved  Petersburg  on  the 
30th  day  of  July,  1864. 

The  greatest  general  of  the  Federal  army,  its  com- 
mander-in-chief,  was  gloomy  over  the  results  of  his 
assault  upon  the  Confederate  position,  which  eight 
thousand  pounds  of  gunpowder  had  destroyed  in  the 
gloaming  of  that  morning. 

The  great  plan  "  that  was  expected  to  scatter  and 
destroy  the  army  of  General  Lee  "  was  a  failure — an 
utter  and  disastrous  failure;  and  the  Federal  corre- 
spondent who  wrote  this  on  August  2,  1864,  said: 
"  Often  have  the  Confederates  won  encomiums  for 
valor,  but  never  before  did  they  fight  with  such  un- 
controllable desperation." 

Gold  went  up  to  its  highest  notch  as  compared 
with  greenbacks — two  dollars  and  eighty  cents  in 
paper  for  one  in  gold,  which  made  the  average  price 
of  gold  in  July,  1864,  the  highest  during  the  whole 
war ;  and  if  the  financial  thermometer  is  any  guide, 
the  Confederate  States  were  nearer  to  independence 
on  the  day  of  the  Crater  than  at  any  other  time 
during  the  great  war  between  the  Northern  Nation 
and  the  Southern  Republic. 

The  New  York  Herald  advised  that  an  embassy 
should  be  sent  to  the  Confederate  Government,  "  to 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  CRATER   203 

see  if  this  dreadful  war  cannot  be  ended  in  a  mutually 
satisfactory  treaty  of  peace."  This  is  evidence  from 
a  hostile  source  of  what  the  artillery  and  infantry  of 
the  Confederates  accomplished  on  this  fateful  field. 

Yet,  when  you  read  some  Southern  histories,  you 
will  find  the  charge  of  the  Crater  entirely  ignored  or 
dismissed  with  a  sentence,  a  paragraph,  or  perhaps 
a  page.  Ex-President  Davis's  history,  after  giving 
a  description  of  the  mine  and  size  of  the  crater, 
quotes  an  author  who  seemed  to  know  nothing  of  the 
charge  of  the  infantry  of  Mahone,  only  noticing  the 
fire  of  the  artillery  and  the  confusion  of  the  enemy's 
troops,  and  then  Mr.  Davis  concludes :  "  The  forces 
of  the  enemy  finally  succeeded  in  making  their  way 
back  with  a  loss  of  about  four  thousand  prisoners, 
and  General  Lee,  whose  casualties  were  small,  re-estab- 
lished his  line  without  interruption." 

You  might  conclude  from  reading  his  account  that 
the  disordered  ranks  of  the  enemy,  demoralized  by 
artillery  fire,  lost  heart,  retreated  at  leisure  or  waited 
to  be  rescued  from  the  excavation,  but  finally  made 
their  way  back  without  a  bayonet  thrust  or  a  sword 
stroke.  The  accuracy  of  this  is  in  keeping  with 
his  claim  of  4000  prisoners,  who  actually  numbered 
1101. 

He  gives  no  credit  to  the  men  of  the  three  depleted 
brigades  who  charged  this  hill  two  hundred  yards, 
and  fought  foot  to  foot  and  hand  to  hand  with 
bayonets  and  butts,  pistols  and  swords,  as  desperately 
and  daringly  as  ever  recorded  in  the  annals  of  war; 
and  took  from  Burnside  nineteen  flags — Mahone,  15; 
Sanders,  3 ;  Wright,  1. 

Then    that    voluminuous    "  Confederate    Military 


204      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

History,"  in  giving  its  account  leaves  out  entirely 
the  charge  of  the  Alabama  Brigade  under  the 
chivalrous  Sanders.  I  shall  always  remember  the 
splendid  manner  in  which  that  glorious  brigade  ac- 
complished the  final  act  which  enabled  General  Lee 
to  re-establish  his  line  "  without  interruption." 

Mahone's  Brigade  had  recaptured  the  works  on 
the  left  up  to  the  excavation,  and  I  'Could  look  back, 
and  see  Sanders'  Brigade  form  in  the  valley  and 
charge  in  beautiful  array  up  to  the  rim  of  the  hole 
held  by  Bartlett,  where,  after  a  short  struggle,  the 
white  flag  went  up  and  Bartlett  and  his  men  came  out 
of  the  hole  as  Sanders'  prisoners  of  war.  No  troops 
ever  acted  more  brilliantly  on  any  field  than  Ala- 
bama's faithful  sons  under  the  lead  of  gallant  Sanders 
on  that  day. 

While  speaking  of  the  infantry,  I  am  not  unmind- 
ful of  the  wonderful  work  of  our  artillerymen  on  that 
day,  and  you  saw  the  gallant  Haskell  with  two  little 
cohorn  mortars  help  to  force  the  capitulation  of  the 
Crater. 

I  must  pause  here  to  pay  a  tribute  to  that  brave 
Federal  general  officer,  William  F.  Bartlett,  who 
fought  in  their  front  line  with  the  admirable  despera- 
tion that  made  him  the  foremost  hero  of  all  the  officers 
who  commanded  the  70,000  troops  in  our  front  on 
that  day.  Massachusetts  never  sent  out  a  braver 
and  more  dashing  soldier  to  uphold  her  honor  than 
Bartlett,  the  Federal  hero  of  the  Crater. 

Stung  by  the  unfairness  of  such  treatment  from 
our  own  historians,  I  conceived  a  plan  for  a  reunion 
of  the  survivors  of  Mahone's  Brigade  who  partici- 
pated in  the  charge  of  the  Crater,  to  correct  the 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  CRATER   205 

injustice  to  you  and  to  our  dead  comrades,  and  it 
resulted  most  successfully  on  that  sixth  day  of 
November,  1903.  I  have  collected  many  personal 
narratives  from  those  who  charged  with  muskets  in 
their  hands,  but  have  laid  them  aside  to  be  read  by 
those  coming  after  us,  who  may  wish  to  know  about 
the  charge  of  the  Crater  from  the  mouths  of  the 
participants. 

It  was  in  no  spirit  of  boastfulness  that  we  returned, 
re-aligned  on  this  battlefield  and  charged  over  the 
same  ground  where  we  rushed  and  fought  in  the 
whirl  of  battle,  over  forty-one  years  ago. 

You  did  no  more  than  your  duty ;  you  did  no  more 
than  your  comrades  of  other  commands  who  stood 
to  duty ;  no  more  than  those  who  with  you  won  other 
fields,  and  I  do  not  claim  for  you  greater  honor  than 
for  any  true  Confederate  soldier ;  but  when  a  feat  of 
arms  so  brilliant  as  the  successful  charge  of  the 
Crater,  by  the  three  small  brigades  of  Anderson's 
Division  on  the  30th  day  of  July,  1864,  is  brushed 
aside  as  a  skirmish  by  those  in  whom  justice  is  sup- 
posed to  abide,  I  thought  it  was  time  for  the  par- 
ticipants to  speak  out  in  behalf  of  the  great  open 
field  charge,  which  challenges  the  world  for  a  parallel. 
The  English  historian  Gregg  says  that  "  the  exploit 
crowned  General  Mahone  with  fame  that  no  subse- 
quent errors  can  obscure." 

When  you  helped  to  defend  Petersburg  in  1864-65, 
five  times  Mahone's  Brigade  left  its  place  in  the 
breastworks  on  Willcox  farm  and  twice  its  winter 
quarters,  and  each  time  successfully  charged  the 
troops  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  and  while  all 
reflected  great  credit  on  the  courage  and  fidelity  of 


206      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

the  participants,  the  charge  of  the  Crater  was  fruit- 
ful of  greater  results,  and  it  should  be  known  and 
will  be  known  if  the  world  will  listen,  to-day,  to  the 
survivors  of  the  men  who  made  this  field,  saved  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia  from  a  fatal  disaster  and 
inflicted  upon  the  enemy  a  defeat  that  brought  the 
Herald's  cry  for  peace. 

It  really  seems  the  irony  of  fate  that  you  should 
have  to  go  to  your  enemies  to  find  justice  for  your 
valor ;  but  it  is  nevertheless  true,  for  you  have  to 
read  the  "  Official  Reports  "  of  the  Federal  officers 
to  know  the  full  force  and  effect  of  your  prowess  on 
that  day.  These  documents,  your  written  personal 
experience  of  the  battle,  and  this  demonstration 
to-day,  make  me  content  to  rest  the  history  of  the 
charge  of  the  Crater  with  the  historians  who  come 
after  us. 

The  unique  feature  of  a  sham  battle  on  a  real 
battlefield  will  burn  your  deeds  on  the  ineffaceable 
tablets  of  Virginia's  history.  Between  Southern 
soldiers,  who  have  touched  elbows  in  a  charge  with 
bayonets,  always  exists  a  brotherhood  bound  by 
unwritten  and  unspoken  laws  even  as  strong  as  the 
kinship  of  brothers.  While  I  glory  in  the  everlasting 
link  of  kinship  between  all  true  Confederate  soldiers, 
1  also  thank  God  that  the  bond  of  friendship  .has 
grown  between  those  who  held  opposite  sides  of  the 
firing  line  from  1861  to  1865. 

The  old  battle-flags  given  back  to  us  by  the 
unanimous  vote  of  Congress  with  the  willing  signature 
of  a  chivalrous  President  are  signals  of  peace  and 
love.  They  are  heralds  proclaiming  that  the  veteran 
soldiers  of  the  North  and  South  love  their  enemies 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  CRATER   207 

for  the  glory  of  God  and  have  united  in  friendship 
for  the  honor  of  the  great  American  republic. 

"  Our  flag  of  glory,  fly  no  more 
Where  'mid  mad  battle's  thunder  roar 

We  brothers   slay ! 

Glow  love  in  souls  where  once  glared  ire! 
Then  never  will  a  star  expire 
Until  the  heavens  in  final  fire 

Have  passed  away ! " 

We  rally  again  to  recount  the  actions  and  to  re- 
call the  memories  of  war  in  a  spirit  of  friendly  rivalry 
which  will  shed  luster  on  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  and  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  degrees 
humiliating  to  neither.  Let  the  truth  come,  and  the 
American  soldier  who  stood  with  Lee  and  Jackson 
will  be  found  by  the  future  historian  as  true  and 
patriotic  as  the  soldier  who  fought  with  Grant  and 
Hancock;  and  the  cause  of  the  South  shall  be  pro- 
nounced absolutely  right  and  just  under  the  Con- 
stitution to  which  George  Washington  affixed  his 
signature. 


FITZHUGH    LEE 

[A  eulogy  delivered  before  Stonewall  Camp,  Confederate 
Veterans,  May  2,  1905.] 

COMRADES  : 

It  is  a  struggle,  a  continuous  battle,  to  live.  It 
is  hard  to  live.  I  tremble  from  dread  as  I  walk  the 
highway  of  life.  I  fear  more  to  live  than  I  do  to  die. 
God  help  me  to  live,  and  I  do  not  fear  death. 

A  great  man,  Fitzhugh  Lee,  is  dead — unburied 
to-night.  He  nobly  fought  the  battles  of  life; 
trouble  stood  in  his  way  like  milestones  on  a  turnpike, 
but  he  reached  the  goal  with  greater  achievements 
than  he  reckoned,  and  his  name  is  burned  into  our 
hearts  as  a  hero  whom  we  love. 

We  remember  that  after  he  sheathed  his  sword  he 
pursued  with  his  whole  soul  the  teachings  of  Robert 
E.  Lee,  the  great  leader  of  the  South,  and  had  ac- 
complished more  to  make  lasting  friendship  between 
the  North  and  the  South  than  any  other  man  who 
has  lived  to  see  the  twentieth  century,  except  John 
B.  Gordon,  of  Georgia.  He  was  one  of  the  strongest 
arches  in  the  bridge  of  peace  across  the  bloody 
chasm  of  the  intersectional  war.  He  changed  mil- 
lions of  enemies  into  friends,  and  chained  their  hearts 
in  bonds  of  affection.  He  accepted  the  arbitrament 
of  war  and  made  peace  the  glory  of  a  splendid 
career. 

As  a  diplomat  in  Cuba  he  gave  an  enduring  name 
for  American  history,  and  as  the  leader  of  the  inter- 

208 


FITZHUGH   LEE  S09 

national  celebration  of  the  settlement  of  Jamestown 
he  has  awakened  the  enthusiasm  of  the  nation,  and 
died  in  its  harness,  with  the  armor  of  love  over  his 
heart  and  the  whisper  of  pleasantness  on  his  lips. 

The  last  time  I  saw  him  we  spoke  from  the  same 
rostrum  to  the  veterans  and  people  of  Princess  Anne 
for  a  monument  to  the  hero  dead  of  that  county. 
His  eloquent  words  had  the  ring  of  pure  metal,  and 
his  polished  sentences  lifted  the  souls  of  his  audience 
to  do  honor  to  the  proud  people  who  had  gone  before, 
and  to-day  a  monument  to  the  Confederate  soldiers 
of  Princess  Anne  stands  upon  the  court  green  of  that 
noble  county. 

Fitz.  Lee  was  our  comrade  in  the  war  for  Southern 
independence.  He  was  one  of  our  brightest  lights 
in  the  darkness  of  defeat  and  reconstruction.  He  was 
Virginia's  most  brilliant  Governor.  He  was  one  of 
our  greatest  fellow-citizens  in  the  reunited  United 
States.  He  was  in  the  saddle  to  unfold  to  the  world 
the  proudest  sentiment  of  the  English  speaking 
people — the  sentiment  which  planted  and  cultivated 
the  seed  at  Jamestown  of  the  greatest  republic  of  the 
world — when  he  fell  dead  like  a  soldier  on  the  battle- 
field. His  name  needs  no  encomiums  from  us,  but  we 
need  to  speak  of  him  for  the  good  to  us  and  to  others. 
We  point  to  him  as  an  exemplar  for  our  lives  and  the 
lives  of  our  children.  His  conduct  says :  "  Fight 
with  cheerfulness  the  battles  of  life,  having  faith  in 
the  Redeemer,  and  all  will  be  well." 

My  poor  words  are  but  feeble  expressions  of  our 
feelings  on  this  solemn  occasion. 


STONEWALL  JACKSON 

A  LITTLE  girl  after  listening  to  her  father  relate 
the  story  of  Gettysburg  said :  "  Daddy,  I  believe  if 
Stonewall  Jackson  had  been  there  we  would  have 
won."  "  Why?  "  inquired  the  father.  "  Because  he 
had  such  a  sly  way  of  sneaking  up  behind  the 
Yankees  and  scaring  them."  That  was  a  bright 
exposition  of  Jackson's  military  strategy,  and  many 
believe  the  Confederacy  would  have  lived  had  not 
Stonewall  Jackson  died  too  soon. 

General  "  Dick  "  Taylor  said :  "  Praying  and 
fighting  appeared  to  be  Jackson's  idea  of  the  whole 
duty  of  man." 

General  Thomas  J.  Jackson  was  a  man  of  intense 
purpose,  consuming  earnestness  and  gentle  Christian 
spirit.  There  was  in  him  the  rare  union  of  strength 
and  simplicity,  of  child-like  faith,  and  fiery  energy. 
His  kindness  was  like  the  touch  of  a  woman,  for  those 
who  performed  their  duty ;  his  sharpness  like  the  edge 
of  a  sword,  for  those  who  failed.  He  was  a  thunder- 
bolt in  war,  the  great  Jupiter  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  a  mighty  captain  who  held  the 
hosts  of  the  enemy  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand. 

Jackson  was  born  at  Clarksburg,  Harrison  County, 
Virginia,  on  January  21,  1824.  His  father  died  in 
1827,  leaving  him  a  penniless  orphan,  and  he  grew  to 
manhood  in  the  hard  school  of  poverty.  While 
struggling  in  the  mighty  battle  of  life  he  wore  the 
badge  of  a  constable,  and  when  performing  the  duty 

210 


STONEWALL    JACKSON  211 

he  was  notified  by  the  village  blacksmith  of  a  chance 
to  be  appointed  a  cadet  to  West  Point.  The  ap- 
pointment was  given  him  through  the  influence  of 
his  Congressman,  and  at  that  renowned  school  he  was 
educated  in  the  art  of  war.  His  first  practical 
experience  in  warfare  was  in  Mexico,  where  he  won 
the  spurs  of  a  field  officer.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
Mexican  War  he  served  a  short  time  in  the  Regular 
Army,  and  then  became  a  professor  in  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute. 

When  Virginia  seceded  from  the  Union  he  was 
ordered  to  Richmond  with  his  corps  of  cadets,  the 
cadets  to  be  drill-masters  for  the  volunteers  who  were 
pouring  in  from  the  South  to  protect  our  borders 
from  threatened  invasion.  Major  Jackson  was  soon 
promoted  to  colonel  and  sent  to  Harper's  Ferry,  a 
most  important  post  6n  the  upper  Potomac  at  its 
junction  with  the  Shenandoah  River. 

"Who  is  this  Major  Jackson,  that  we  are  asked 
to  commit  to  him  such  an  important  post?  "  inquired 
a  member  of  the  State  Convention,  when  his  name 
was  up  for  confirmation.  "  He  is  one,"  replied  the 
Honorable  Samuel  McDowell  Moore,  "  who,  if  you 
order  him  to  hold  a  post,  will  never  leave  it  alive  to 
be  occupied  by  the  enemy." 

When  the  Virginia  forces  were  turned  over  to  the 
Confederate  Army  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston  was 
put  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  but 
as  no  instructions  were  sent  to  Jackson  from  the 
Virginia  authorities,  he  informed  the  Confederate 
General  Johnston  that  he  had  been  placed  there  by 
General  Lee,  as  commander  of  Virginia  troops,  and 
that  his  fidelity  as  a  soldier  constrained  him  to  hold 


212      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

his  position  until  he  should  receive  orders  from  the 
same  source  to  resign  it  into  other  hands.  It  was 
not  long  before  he  was  officially  advised,  and  at  once 
became  a  faithful  and  zealous  supporter  of  Johnston, 
ever  after  their  relations  being  cordial  and  pleasant. 

His  commanding  officer  ordered  him  to  watch  the 
enemy  on  the  upper  Potomac  with  instructions  to 
retreat  in  the  event  of  an  advance  of  the  enemy  in 
force.  The  Federals  began  an  advance  on  July  2, 
1861,  and  Jackson  made  disposition  of  his  forces  to 
check  them,  and  the  next  day  the  affair  called  "  Fall- 
ing Waters  "  took  place.  It  was  here  that  he  ordered 
Captain  Pendleton,  with  one  gun,  to  open  fire  at  a 
favorable  opportunity.  When  he  found  the  road  in 
front  filled  with  the  enemy  the  reverend  captain 
opened  fire,  and  as  the  lanyard  was  pulled  he  said: 
"  Lord,  have  mercy  on  their1  souls."  His  prayerful 
shots  cleared  the  road,  but  Jackson,  finding  that, 
Avith  the  superior  force,  the  enemy  was  about  to  flank 
him,  ordered  a  retreat,  which  was  so  skillfully  and 
successfully  accomplished  as  to  elicit  praise  from 
his  commanders  (Lee  and  Johnston),  who  made  that 
date  the  date  of  his  commission  as  brigadier-general. 
His  brigade  was  composed  of  the  Second,  Fourth, 
Fifth,  Twenty-seventh  and  Thirty-third  Virginia 
Infantry,  and  Pendleton's  battery  of  artillery. 

Jackson  was  resting  with  his  forces  at  Win- 
chester when  Beauregard  called  on  Johnston  for 
assistance,  and  Jackson  struck  his  tents  on  July  18, 
and  hastened  over  the  mountains  to  Manassas.  Ar- 
riving there  on  July  21,  while  Beauregard  and  John- 
ston were  galloping  up  and  down  the  line  with  the 
color  bearers  to  encourage  their  hard-pressed  troops, 


STONEWALL    JACKSON  213 

when  the  tide  of  battle  was  going  against  us,  the 
First  Brigade  was  the  first  to  meet  our  retreating 
forces,  and  take  position  with  the  artillery,  arrest- 
ing the  victorious  progress  of  the  enemy — holding 
him  in  check  until  reinforcements  arrived,  and  finally 
with  a  bayonet  charge  piercing  the  Federal  center, 
which  turned  the  tide  and  gave  the  famous  victory 
of  First  Manassas  to  the  Confederates. 

For  over  three  hours  Jackson's  men  bore  the  brunt 
of  the  fierce  onslaughts  of  the  invaders,  and  his  only 
caution  was,  "  Steady,  men,  steady."  When  all 
seemed  lost  General  Bee  rode  up  to  Jackson  exclaim- 
ing, "  They  are  beating  us  back !  "  "  Then,"  said 
Jackson,  "  we  will  give  them  the  bayonet,"  and  Bee 
rode  back  to  rally  his  men,  saying :  "  Look  at  Jack- 
son !  there  he  stands  like  a  stone  wall !  Rally  behind 
the  Virginians,"  and  while  leading  his  reformed  ranks 
back  to  support  Jackson,  he  fell  dead  with  his  face  to 
the  foe.  What  a  hero  was  this  grand  South 
Carolinian ! 

After  Manassas,  Jackson  was  promoted  to  major- 
general  and  made  commander  of  the  Army  of  the 
Valley.  He  made  his  headquarters  during  the  winter 
of  1861-62  at  Winchester,  where  he  lost  no  time  in 
training  and  recruiting  an  army  which  made  the 
world  marvel  at  its  triumphs.  In  a  midwinter  expe- 
dition, January  10,  1862,  he  drove  the  enemy  from 
Romney,  but  lost  the  fruits  of  his  victory  by  the 
dissatisfaction  of  General  Loring,  who  induced  the 
War  Department  to  order  his  command  back  to  Win- 
chester, against  Jackson's  wishes.  This  being  too 
much  for  Jackson's  self-respect,  he  at  once  sent  his 
conditional  resignation  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  but 


THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 


fortunately  through  the  good  offices  of  his  friend, 
Governor  Letcher,  he  withdrew  it. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Romney  by  Loring,  the 
Federals  took  possession  and  spread  out  along  the 
Potomac  in  such  numbers  as  to  threaten  Winchester 
on  all  sides.  Loring  with  all  his  troops,  except  the 
Virginians,  had  been  ordered  elsewhere  and  Jackson's 
position  was  greatly  endangered  by  the  overwhelming 
forces  in  his  front.  His  regular  troops  numbered 
only  about  four  thousand,  and  he  was  confronted  by 
two  hostile  armies  numbering  forty-five  thousand, 
under  Banks  and  Lander.  Under  these  conditions 
General  Johnston  ordered  Jackson  to  engage  the  at- 
tention of  the  invaders  without  exposing  himself  to 
defeat,  so  as  to  prevent,  if  possible,  any  detachment 
of  their  force  reinforcing  McClellan.  It  was  an 
important  and  responsible  mission.  On  the  approach 
of  Banks,  after  making  a  demonstration,  Jackson 
evacuated  Winchester,  on  March  11,  1862,  slowly 
retreating  to  Woodstock  and  to  Mount  Jackson, 
forty  miles  distant,  and  Shields  moved  forward  in 
pursuit  to  Strausburg. 

Believing  Jackson  was  out  of  the  way,  Shields  was 
recalled  to  march  to  McClellan  at  Manassas.  Jack- 
son at  once  pushed  his  little  army  forward  in  pursuit. 
The  cavalry  under  General  Turner  Ashby,  harassing 
Shields'  rear,  erroneously  reported  that  all  but  one 
brigade  had  gone,  thus  misleading  Jackson  as  to  the 
strength  of  the  enemy.  After  marching  fourteen 
miles,  arriving  at  Kearnstown  at  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  he  concluded  to  make  an  assault  upon  the 
enemy  and  led  his  men  to  the  attack  ;  for  three  hours 
the  sanguinary  and  stubborn  contest  continued,  but 


STONEWALL    JACKSON  215 

finally  overcome  by  superior  numbers,  his  brave 
legions  were  compelled  to  retreat.  The  Federals 
captured  about  three  hundred  prisoners,  and  although 
this  bold  attack  was  unsuccessful,  it  led  to  many  im- 
portant results.  It  recalled  all  the  Federal  troops 
then  marching  towards  Manassas,  and  created  such 
consternation  in  Washington  that  McDowell's  Corps 
was  recalled  from  McClellan,  to  protect  that  city. 
The  Confederate  Congress  voted  Jackson  its  thanks 
for  his  achievement  at  Kearnstown. 

About  the  last  of  April  Jackson  applied  to  General 
Lee  for  reinforcements,  but  he  could  only  spare  him 
the  •commands  of  Ewell  and  Edward  Johnson.  Gen- 
eral Joseph  E.  Johnston  had  transferred  the  mass  of 
his  army  to  the  front  of  Richmond,  where  he  had 
command  in  person.  Banks  followed  Jackson  slowly 
and  attempted  no  serious  advance  until  April  17, 
when  Jackson  retired  to  Harrisonburg,  crossing  the 
main  fork  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  took  up  a  position 
at  the  western  base  of  the  Blue  Ridge  in  Swift  Run 
Gap,  and  from  there  moved  up  the  river  to  Port 
Republic.  He  crossed  the  mountains  and  ordered 
Ewell  to  take  his  place  at  Port  Republic,  and  then 
recrossed  the  mountains  at  Brown's  Gap,  marched 
rapidly  through  Staunton,  made  a  junction  with 
Edward  Johnson,  and  on  May  8,  reached  McDowell, 
securing  a  commanding  position  which  the  enemy 
saw,  if  held,  would  force  its  surrender,  and  made  a 
desperate  attempt  to  recover.  Milroy  and  Schenck, 
having  united,  fought  desperately  for  three  hours 
in  the  attempt  to  recover  it,  but  after  a  bloody 
struggle  they  were  forced  back,  and  under  cover  of 
night  retreated  to  Franklin,  twenty-four  miles 


216      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

distant.  Jackson  followed  them,  but  finding  Fremont 
there  with  ten  thousand  fresh  troops,  and  deeming  it 
inadvisable  to  attack  such  a  superior  force,  he  turned 
back  and  under  cover  of  his  cavalry  marched  (May 
13)  rapidly  within  seventeen  miles  of  Staunton  and 
turned  towards  Harrisonburg,  sending  Ewell  a  dis- 
patch that  he  was  'Coming  to  attack  Banks  with  their 
united  forces.  The  Confederates  marched  from 
Franklin  to  Front  Royal,  120  miles,  in  ten  days,  ar- 
riving there  on  May  23.  After  capturing  Front 
Royal  and  while  pursuing  the  enemy,  Jackson  per- 
sonally, at  the  right  moment,  directed  the  charge  of 
250  Virginia  troopers  under  Colonel  Thomas  S. 
Flournoy,  capturing  600  prisoners,  including  23 
officers  and  a  whole  section  of  artillery,  performing 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  feats  of  the  war. 

Banks,  surprised  by  this  fierce  and  sudden  attack 
on  his  flank,  precipitately  retreated  from  Strausburg 
to  Winchester,  and  Jackson  forging  forward  after 
him  captured  men  and  stores  all  along  the  route. 

When  Jackson  arrived  in  front  of  Winchester 
about  daylight  on  May  25,  he  found  the  Federal 
forces  drawn  up  across  the  approaches  to  the  town. 
Without  halting,  he  maneuvered  his  army  into  posi- 
tion under  the  mists  of  the  May  morning,  all  the  time 
steadily  pressing  the  enemy,  until  his  whole  line  being 
in  battle  order,  just  as  the  bright  morning  sun  dis- 
persed the  veil  of  mist,  they  swept  forward,  ten 
thousand  bayonets  glistening  in  splendid  array,  with 
a  great  "  Rebel  "  yell  sounding  above  the  thunder  of 
battle,  and  the  Federal  lines  broke  and  the  disordered 
hosts  crowded  into  the  streets  of  Winchester. 

Jackson,  riding  recklessly  with  his  old  brigade  in 


STONEWALL    JACKSON  217 

the  forefront  of  victorious  battle,  raised  himself  in 
his  stirrups,  and  waving  his  cap  in  the  direction  of 
the  fleeing  foe,  shouted  to  his  men,  "  Press  forward 
to  the  Potomac !  "  With  one  exception  the  enemy's 
regiments  lost  all  order  in  the  streets,  and  the  Con- 
federates with  terrible  rushes  and  fierce  yells  drove 
them  out,  scattering  them  across  the  fields  beyond 
the  town.  As  Jackson's  soldiers  pressed  through  the 
streets  the  citizens,  frantic  with  joy,  rushed  out  from 
every  doorway,  and  with  weeping  and  with  laughter, 
with  the  blessings  of  women  and  praises  of  men,  the 
Army  of  the  Valley  was  urged  forward  in  hot  pursuit. 

Jackson,  leading  the  van,  continued  the  pursuit 
five  miles  beyond  Winchester  before  he  halted  his 
tired  infantry  for  bivouac.  Banks  continued  his 
flight  until  he  stood  upon  the  northern  bank  of  the 
Potomac.  The  Federals  were  driven  between  fifty 
and  sixty  miles  in  forty-eight  hours,  and  if  Ashby's 
cavalry  had  not  been  forgetful  of  duty,  in  gathering 
spoils,  but  few  of  Banks'  grand  army  would  have 
escaped.  Jackson  was  heard  to  exclaim :  "  Oh,  that 
my  cavalry  were  in  place,  never  was  there  such  a 
chance  for  cavalry !  "  As  it  was,  over  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  quartermaster's  stores  and 
three  thousand  prisoners  were  captured.  The  victory 
was  glorious  for  the  Southern  arms. 

Within  four  weeks  Jackson's  army  had  made  long 
and  rapid  marches,  fought  six  skirmishes  and  two 
battles,  capturing  colors,  artillery,  numerous  pris- 
oners, vast  medical,  ordnance  and  other  stores, 
finally  driving  the  great  hosts  of  hostile  invaders  out 
of  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Shenandoah.  After 
the  capture  of  Winchester  Jackson  marched  his  little 


218      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

army  forward  until  the  gleam  of  its  campfires  were 
reflected  in  the  waters  of  the  Potomac.  As  Washing- 
ton was  threatened,  the  enemy  proceeded  to  send 
heavy  columns  against  him,  and  finding  it  prudent 
to  retire,  on  the  30th  of  May  he  set  his  forces  in 
movement,  and  in  one  day  marched  thirty  miles,  put- 
ting his  army  between  Fremont  and  McDowell,  who 
were  hastening  to  Strausburg  to  intercept  his 
retreat.  Friday  morning  he  was  confronting  Banks 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  by  Sunday  night,  although 
encumbered  by  prisoners  and  captured  stores,  he  had 
covered  a  distance  of  between  fifty  and  sixty  miles, 
passing  between  his  two  adversaries  and  reaching 
Strausburg,  the  objective  point,  before  either. 

Jackson  'Continued  to  fall  back  to  Harrisonburg. 
On  June  6,  Sir  Percy  Wyndham,  wishing  to  show  his 
mettle,  made  a  dash  with  a  squadron  of  cavalry  upon 
Ashby,  who  captured  the  English  nobleman  with  his 
entire  force.  Then  the  enemy  threw  forward  a  strong 
force  to  retrieve  the  loss,  and  while  in  this  fierce 
combat  the  gallant  Ashby  was  shot  from  his  horse 
and  killed.  The  death  of  Ashby  was  a  sad  blow  to 
the  Army  of  the  Valley.  Jackson  rested  his  tired 
forces  two  days,  but  upon  June  8  Shields  made  a  dash 
upon  his  camp,  which  he  promptly  repulsed,  driving 
the  enemy  across  the  river.  The  same  day  Fremont 
attacked  Ewell  at  Cross  Keys,  who  defeated  his 
assailants,  gaining  a  brilliant  victory.  This  em- 
boldened Jackson  to  assail  his  opponent,  so  he 
crossed  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  and,  making 
the  attack,  gained  a  decisive  victory.  The  next  day 
both  Fremont  and  Shields  were  in  full  retreat  down 
the  Valley.  Now  within  forty  days  Jackson  had 


STONEWALL    JACKSON  219 

marched  four  hundred  miles,  fought  four  pitched 
battles,  defeating  four  separate  armies,  with  many 
skirmishes  and  combats,  capturing  many  prisoners 
and  valuable  munitions  of  war.  This  ended  his  cele- 
brated Valley  campaign,  one  of  the  most  brilliant  in 
the  annals  of  war. 

Jackson  was  called  from  the  Valley  to  help  Lee 
raise  the  siege  of  Richmond,  and,  arriving  there  with 
his  army,  he  was  ordered  to  turn  the  enemy's  works 
at  Mechanicsville,  and  there  he  directed  the  glorious 
charges  which  drove  the  Federals  across  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  fighting  on  with  Lee  until  McClellan  gave  up 
his  "On  to  Richmond." 

Meanwhile  the  boastful  Pope  had  combined 
the  commands  of  Fremont,  Shields,  Banks,  and 
McDowell  into  an  army  of  fifty  thousand  men,  which 
he  had  concentrated  at  Culpeper  Court  House. 
Jackson's  arm}',  reinforced  by  the  Division  of  A.  P. 
Hill,  marched  to  the  fight,  and  on  August  9  met 
Pope  on  the  borders  of  Cedar  Run.  There  a  deadly 
struggle  ensued.  The  conflict,  fierce  and  stubborn, 
hung  in  the  balance  for  awhile;  Winder,  the  noble 
leader  of  the  first  brigade,  was  killed  at  a  -critical 
moment — then  Jackson  for  the  first  time  in  war,  drew 
his  sword,  shouting  to  his  broken  ranks,  "  Rally, 
brave  men,  and  press  forward!  Jackson  will  lead 
you !  Follow  me !  "  The  appeal  was  effectual,  the 
unexpected  rally  shocked  the  enemy,  and  before  re- 
covering they  were  routed  and  driven  from  the  field. 
That  night  Jackson  with  his  victorious  troops 
bivouacked  upon  the  battlefield.  He  pronounced 
this  the  most  successful  of  all  his  exploits. 

Fearing  no  danger  from  McClellan  on  the  pen- 


220      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

insula,  General  Lee  moved  his  army  to  form  a  junc- 
tion with  Jackson  to  threaten  Washington.  Pope 
retreated  across  the  Rappahannock,  and  on  August 
20  Lee  marched  forward  to  carry  out  his  designs. 
Jackson  was  ordered  to  cross  the  Rappahannock  high 
up  and  hasten  to  get  in  Pope's  rear.  This  he  accom- 
plished by  marching  fifty  miles  in  two  days,  cap- 
turing Bristoe  Station,  with  a  large  amount  of  stores, 
and  then  crossing  the  stream  to  Manassas,  he  burned 
the  railroad  bridge  behind  him.  On  the  29th  the 
enemy  offered  battle,  and  about  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning  it  was  on.  As  desired,  Longstreet  came  up 
in  good  time,  and  for  many  hours  the  conflict  raged. 
Six  times  the  enemy  made  determined  assaults  and 
six  times  they  were  gallantly  repulsed.  Both  wings 
were  desperately  engaged  throughout  the  day,  and 
not  until  nine  o'clock  at  night  did  the  battle  cease 
on  Longstreet's  front.  General  Lee,  having  arrived 
on  the  field,  assumed  command  on  the  morning  of 
August  30.  He  held  his  lines  on  the  defensive,  and 
not  until  four  o'clock  did  the  enemy  move  to  an 
assault.  They  came  in  three  lines — a  dense  mass — 
rushing  like  great  billows  against  our  troops,  but 
every  time  recoiled  before  our  terrible  fire.  After  a 
while  both  wings  of  Lee's  army  were  ordered  to  close 
in  upon  the  enemy,  and  aided  by  a  terrific  fire  of 
artillery,  the  Federal  lines  were  broken  just  as  dark- 
ness set  in,  and  about  ten  o'clock  the  battle  came 
to  an  end  as  a  terrible  rainstorm  poured  out  its 
torrents.  There  the  Confederates  again  slept  on  the 
field  of  victory^ 

And  now  the  armies  of  McClellan  and  Pope  which 
had  joined  issue  with  Lee  at  this  second  Manassas 


STONEWALL    JACKSON  221 

retreated  and  sought  shelter  in  the  fortifications  of 
Washington.  Lee  decided  to  invade  Maryland,  with 
the  hope  of  arousing  her  people  to  join  his  army, 
and  sent  Jackson  again  to  the  Valley  to  cross  the 
Potomac  and  capture  Harper's  Ferry,  which  he  soon 
accomplished,  with  eleven  thousand  prisoners,  sixty 
pieces  of  artillery,  thirteen  small  arms,  numbers  of 
horses  and  wagons  and  vast  quantities  of  stores. 
This  forward  movement  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  brought  on  the  great  batte  of  Sharpsburg, 
where  Jackson's  stubborn  resistance  against  over- 
whelming odds  added  new  laurels  to  his  fame. 

Turning  from  this  battle  we  next  find  Jackson 
directing  the  right  wing  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  in  the  great  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  where 
was  presented  the  most  dramatic  and  imposing 
tableau  of  war  ever  witnessed  on  an  American  battle- 
field. Jackson,  here  as  elsewhere,  was  the  superb 
leader,  who  made  Burnside's  left  wing  stagger  and 
recoil  to  the  banks  of  the  Rappahannock. 

And  now  we  come  to  Jackson's  last  fight.  The 
great  battle  of  Chancellorsville  was  opened  by  the 
advance  of  Mahone's  Brigade  from  the  Tabernacle 
church  about  eleven  o'clock,  May  1,  1863,  supported 
by  others  of  Anderson's  and  McLaws'  divisions,  and 
they  vigorously  pushed  the  enemy  back  until  within 
a  mile  and  a  quarter  of  Chancellorsville,  where 
Hooker  was  so  strongly  entrenched  as  to  make  a 
direct  attack  too  hazardous.  General  Lee  resolved 
to  endeavor  to  turn  his  right  flank  and  gain  his  rear. 
The  execution  of  this  plan  was  entrusted  to  General 
Jackson,  with  three  divisions  of  his  corps.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  May  2  he  started  on  the  long  march, 


222      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

and  his  leading  division  reached  the  old  turnpike  road 
three  miles  in  rear  of  Chancellorsville  about  four 
o'clock,  and  as  the  other  divisions  came  up  they  were 
formed  at  right  angle  to  the  road.  At  six  o'clock  in 
the  evening  the  advance  in  line  of  battle  was  ordered. 
General  Lee's  official  report  says :  "  The  enemy  were 
taken  by  surprise,  and  fled  after  a  brief  resistance. 
General  Rhodes'  men  pushed  forward  with  great  vigor 
and  enthusiasm,  followed  closely  to  the  second  and 
third  lines.  Position  after  position  was  carried,  the 
guns  captured,  and  every  effort  of  the  enemy  to  rally 
defeated  by  the  impetuous  rush  of  our  troops.  In 
the  ardor  of  pursuit  through  the  thick  and  tangled 
woods,  the  first  and  second  lines  at  last  became 
mingled  and  moved  together  as  one.  The  enemy 
made  a  stand  at  a  line  of  breastworks  across  the  road, 
at  the  house  of  Melzar  Chancellor,  but  the  troops  of 
Rhodes  and  Colston  dashed  over  the  entrenchments 
together,  and  the  flight  and  pursuit  were  resumed, 
and  continued  until  our  advance  was  arrested  by  the 
abatis  in  front  of  the  line  of  works  near  the  central 
position  at  Chancellorsville.  It  was  now  dark,  and 
General  Jackson  ordered  the  third  line,  under  General 
A.  P.  Hill,  to  advance  to  the  front,  and  relieve  the 
troops  of  Rhodes  and  Colston,  who  were  completely 
blended  and  in  such  disorder,  from  the  rapid  advance 
through  intricate  woods  and  over  broken  ground, 
that  it  was  necessary  to  re-form  them.  As  Hill's  men 
moved  forward  General  Jackson,  with  his  staff  and 
escort,  returning  from  the  extreme  front,  met  his 
skirmishers  advancing,  and  in  the  obscurity  of  the 
night  were  mistaken  for  the  enemy  and  fired  upon. 
Captain  J.  K.  Boswell,  chief  engineer  of  the  corps, 


STONEWALL    JACKSON  223 

and  several  others  were  killed  and  a  number  wounded. 
General  Jackson  himself  received  a  severe  injury,  and 
was  borne  from  the  field."  It  was  indeed  "  severe," 
for  it  proved  mortal. 

A.  P.  Hill  having  been  wounded  about  the  same 
time,  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart  was  put  in  Jackson's 
place.  Early  next  morning  Stuart  renewed  the 
attack  and  effecting  a  junction  with  Anderson,  the 
whole  line  pressed  irresistibly  forward  until  by  ten 
o'clock  the  field  of  Chancellorsville  was  in  full 
possession  of  the  victorious  Confederates.  Jackson's 
movement  turned  the  enemy's  position  and  decided 
the  fortunes  of  the  day.  The  matchless  energy  and 
skill  that  marked  this  last  act  of  his  life  General 
Lee  said  "  was  a  worthy  conclusion  of  that  long 
series  of  splendid  achievements  which  won  for  him 
the  lasting  love  and  gratitude  of  his  country." 

The  most  beautiful  characteristic  of  this  dashing 
soldier  was  the  humble  Christian  demeanor  which 
shone  over  all  his  military  victories.  Not  a  plaudit 
came  to  him,  but  he  said :  "  Give  the  glory  to  God." 
His  martial  life  was  ennobled  by  his  Christian  devo- 
tion, and  from  his  boyhood  to  his  death  he  was  the 
very  model  of  a  Christian  gentleman,  and  he  died  as 
he  had  lived,  clinging  to  the  cross  of  the  Nazarene. 
His  wounds  were  fatal  and  on  May  10,  1863,  the 
Lord's  Day,  he  went  down  to  the  river  of  death  and 
crossed  into  the  beautiful  city,  where  the  throne  of 
God  is  fixed,  and  the  blessed  Saviour  sits  upon  the 
right  hand. 


JEFFERSON     DAVIS 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS  is  the  pearl  of  Southern  pride, 
a  figure  which  stands  for  the  people's  honor,  a  char- 
acter of  chaste  elegance  which  chivalric  men  admire — 
the  stainless  statesman,  brave  soldier,  and  Christian 
patriot  whose  private  virtues  and  public  acts  were 
alike  pure  and  true  to  God  and  his  country. 

That  unflinching  loyalty  and  heroic  devotion  to 
duty  which  made  him  the  symbol  of  Southern  pride 
is  now  a  living  light  of  our  lost  nation.  Courtly, 
reserved,  firm  and  true,  he  has  left  a  brilliant  fame  to 
adorn  our  homes. 

Although  his  republic  was  blotted  from  the  maps, 
it  is  still  imprinted  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  where 
its  eternal  principles  will  live  as  blessings  for  the 
people  in  the  future. 

He  resigned  his  seat  in  Congress  to  command  the 
First  Mississippi  Regiment  in  the  Mexican  War,  a 
regiment  which  won  splendid  fame  in  the  battles  with 
Santa  Anna,  and  the  gallantry  of  the  young  colonel 
was  so  conspicuous  as  to  elicit  the  praise  of  the 
Duke  of  Wellington. 

At  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista  his  brilliant  stand, 
with  365  men  against  2000  well-equipped  Mexican 
cavalry,  saved  the  left  wing  of  Taylor's  army.  He 
remained  in  his  saddle  from  early  morning  until  the 
battle  was  won,  and  though  seriously  wounded,  was 
unconscious  of  pain  while  there  was  need  of  his  serv- 
ices on  the  field.  As  a  result  of  this  wound  he  was 

224 


JEFFERSON    DAVIS  225 

compelled  to  move  about  on  crutches  for  a  period  of 
two  years. 

As  Secretary  of  War  and  Senator  in  the  United 
States  Congress  he  ranked  with  the  most  distin- 
guished men  of  the  nation,  and  although  a  true 
Southerner,  he  sincerely  loved  the  Union  and  made 
all  honorable  efforts  in  his  power  to  preserve  it,  as 
our  fathers  intended  it  to  stand;  but  his  earnestness 
and  eloquence  could  not  prevail.  He  was  slow  to 
join  the  spontaneous  uprising  of  the  South  against 
Northern  fanaticism,  because  he  hoped  to  save  its 
cause  through  peaceful  means.  His  judgment  was 
conservative,  and,  with  a  heart  full  of  love  for  his 
people,  he  desired  to  stay  the  rivers  of  blood  which 
he  foresaw  would  flow  from  the  sword  of  war. 

He  was  called  to  the  chief  office  of  the  new  nation 
by  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  people,  and  served 
them  with  bravery,  fortitude,  and  faithfulness,  giv- 
ing his  best  energies  and  great  intellect  to  the  cause 
of  Southern  independence,  and  when  defeat  over- 
whelmed the  Confederacy,  he  calmly  went  to  prison, 
reviled,  starved,  shackled,  insulted,  and  cruelly  tor- 
tured in  every  way  venom  could  devise  or  malice  in- 
vent. He  suffered  all  these  indignities  for  his  cause 
and  his  people.  These  humiliations  were  like  iron  in 
the  soul  of  the  South,  but  the  manliness  of  Jefferson 
Davis  in  his  sufferings  is  a  source  of  pride,  and  a 
lesson  of  honor  which  will  ever  be  enshrined  in  the 
archives  of  our  memory. 


APPOMATTOX 

[A  speech  delivered  at  the  Third  Annual  Reunion  of  Ma- 
hone's  Brigade  in  the  Academy  of  Music,  Petersburg,  Va., 
Monday,  July  30,  1877.] 

ALTHOUGH  this  association  has  always  seemed  to 
me  one  of  the  most  honorable  and  agreeable  that 
anyone  who  has  a  Virginia  heart  in  his  bosom  could 
desire  to  address,  I  should  have  been  glad,  my  com- 
rades, if  your  .  committee  had  selected  some  abler 
mind  for  the  task ;  but  as  they  saw  fit  to  bestow  the 
high  honor  upon  me,  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  respond  as 
well  as  I  could.  I  essay  the  task  with  unaffected  dif- 
fidence and  emotion. 

Oh,  my  comrades,  what  proud  and  glorious  asso- 
ciations surround  us  to-day !  Holy  memories  are 
revived,  valorous  achievements  are  recalled,  and  ten- 
der affections  are  renewed !  Petersburg  is  a  magical 
word,  quickening  the  imagination  and  filling  the  mind 
with  vivid  recollections  of  the  glorious  past !  Again 
we  see  the  proud  columns  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  with  bright  bayonets  and  floating  battle- 
flags,  filing  through  these  streets !  Again  we  hear 
the  beautiful  maidens  utter  fervent  prayers  for  the 
ragged  soldiers,  and  see  their  tender  hands  strewing 
their  pathway  with  flowers.  Here,  under  the  holy 
spires,  ever  pointing  to  the  kingdom  of  the  King  of 
Kings,  that  for  so  many  months  withstood  all  the 
anger  of  an  enemy's  most  powerful  artillery, — in  the 
midst  of  the  devoted  women  who  shared  the  perils  of 
the  great  thunderbolts  of  war  with  their  fathers  and 

226 


APPOMATTOX  227 


brothers  and  husbands;  encircled  by  bloody  fields, 
rich  in  daring  deeds  and  unrivaled  chivalry,  the  sol- 
diers who  made  yonder  hill  as  renowned  as  Ther- 
mopylae or  Balaklava,  more  than  any  other  spot  upon 
God's  footstool,  delight  to  gather  in  their  annual 
reunions.  By  the  holiest  ties  that  can  fasten  brave 
men's  hearts,  they  love  Petersburg  and  its  people. 

Besides  these  and  the  sacred  mission  which  has 
called  us  together,  there  is  social  sweetness  and  charm 
about  this  meeting  which  delights  and  gladdens  many 
over-burdened  hearts.  It  is  pleasant  for  brothers  to 
dwell  together  in  peace  and  unity,  and  a  union  of 
brother  soldiers,  though  short  as  a  day,  gives  the 
most  happy  recreation  that  human  nature  is  capable 
of  enjoying.  To  meet  eye  to  eye,  breast  to  breast, 
with  hand  clasped  in  hand,  brings  to  the  bosom  such 
emotions  as  no  words  can  express,  and  tears  only  tell 
the  deep  affection  of  kindred  hearts. 

Of  what  shall  I  speak  to-day?  Shall  we  touch 
elbows  once  more  and  march  with  bleeding  feet  over 
rough  mountain  highways  under  an  almost  tropical 
sun  ?  Shall  we  recall  old  reflections  around  the  camp- 
fires  that  dotted  the  hills  of  Fredericksburg,  like  the 
glittering  guardians  of  night  dot  the  dark  vault  of 
heaven?  Shall  we  recharge  over  the  blazing  leaves 
of  the  Wilderness  and  see  brave  Wadsworth's  sword 
gleaming  high  above  flying  locks  of  snow-white  hair, 
and  tell  how  hero-like  he  died,  urging  his  broken  and 
flying  ranks  to  meet  us  in  deadly  strife?  Shall  we 
look  to  Spottsylvania,  when  massed  columns  were 
pressing  our  lines  back  and  the  battle  raging  with 
doubtful  results,  and  behold  Robert  E.  Lee  riding 
down  the  front,  where  the  iron  hail  fell  thickest,  with 


228       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

cool  courage  and  stately  bearing  arousing  his  sol- 
diers to  desperate  determination?  Oh,  that  grand 
sight,  that  made  every  man  experience  supreme  mo- 
ments of  self-forgetfulness  in  the  very  jaws  of  death, 
and  utter  silent  and  reverent  prayers  to  God  for  him 
whom  they  loved  as  life !  But  let  us  pass  the  many 
fields  that  crowned  your  arms  with  victory  and  go  to 
the  sad  scenes  which  closed  your  career  as  soldiers. 

"  The  very  cypress  droops  to  death — 
Dark  tree,  still  sad  when  others'  grief  is  fled, 
The  only  constant  mourner  o'er  the  dead." 

The  world  forgets  and  gives  no  heed  to  the  requiem 
of  the  dead  nation ;  but  in  the  hearts  of  its  soldiers 
forgetfulness  is  unknown,  and  from  these  sacred 
sanctuaries  the  mourners'  grief  flows  in  everlasting 
tide,  and  their  heads,  like  the  stately  cypress,  droop 
in  eternal  sorrow.  Thither  to  the  grave  of  their 
country,  Appomattox,  their  footsteps  often  turn  in 
sacred  pilgrimage,  and  while  retracing,  in  thought, 
its  death  throes,  whisperings,  "  tread  lightly,  'tis 
sacred  ground,"  come  trooping  up,  for  there  the 
nation  that  they  loved  was  stricken  down  and  buried 
forever. 

The  last  reveille  moved  our  command  from  the  line 
of  battle  where  the  night  of  April  8,  1865,  was  spent, 
after  the  hard  march  from  its  victorious  field  of 
Cumberland.  Then,  after  a  few  miles'  march,  a  halt 
was  ordered  on  the  now  famous  fields  of  Appomattox, 
just  as  the  sun  was  throwing  his  curtains  of  crimson 
and  gold  over  the  eastern  sky  and  while  the  newborn 
leaves  were  yet  burdened  with  dew.  The  country  is 
undulating,  and  an  elevated  position  brings  a  large 


APPOMATTOX  229 


section  within  view.  On  the  west  the  Blue  Ridge 
rose  in  its  morning  garb,  and  on  the  east  a  broad 
plateau  of  green,  here  and  there  broken  by  gradual 
elevations,  appeared  under  the  morning  mists.  The 
everlasting  artillery  was  thundering  in  front;  Gor- 
don's shattered  columns  were  struggling  there,  en- 
deavoring to  reopen  the  path  of  retreat  now  closed 
by  the  Army  of  the  James.  Pickett's  magnificent 
division,  that  had  made  the  hills  of  Gettysburg  trem- 
ble beneath  its  terrible  tread,  the  grand  Army  of  the 
Potomac  recoil  before  its  mighty  onset,  and  a  world 
stand  with  bated  breath  at  its  sublime  courage  and 
matchless  heroism,  had  been  overwhelmed  and  torn 
asunder  at  Five  Forks  and  Sailor's  Creek,  and  only 
forty-seven  men  with  arms  remained  for  duty.  Ma- 
hone's  and  Fields'  divisions,  "  staunch  in  the  midst 
of  all  disasters,"  were  the  only  troops  ready  to  be 
brought  into  action  against  the  combined  Armies  of 
the  Potomac  and  James,  numbering  probably  140,- 
000  armed  men. 

The  blue  lines  of  the  enemy,  like  a  huge  anaconda, 
were  extending  their  coils  to  the  right  and  left,  but 
the  troops  were  ignorant  of  how  closely  they  were 
folded.  General  Gordon,  in  reply  to  a  message,  had 
said :  "  Tell  General  Lee  I  have  fought  my  corps  to 
a  frazzle,  and  can  do  nothing  unless  heavily  sup- 
ported by  Longstreet's  Corps  " ;  on  receiving  which 
message  the  great  Captain  exclaimed,  "  Then  there 
is  nothing  left  me  but  to  go  and  see  General  Grant, 
and  I  had  rather  die  a  thousand  deaths."  He  had 
now  only  7892  infantry  with  arms  upon  the  field. 
About  sunrise,  in  this  dire  emergency,  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief  of  the  Armies  of  the  Confederate 


230       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

States  summoned  to  him  General  William  Mahone. 
He  found  him  with  the  "  Old  War  Horse,"  General 
James  Longstreet,  at  his  side.  The  staff  were  re- 
quested to  retire,  and  the  three  held  counsel  together ; 
what  transpired  between  them  the  historian  must  dis- 
close, for  the  rigid  rules  of  propriety  have  excluded 
a  witness  to-day,  but  I  will  say  that  General  Mahone 
did  not  propose  or  entertain  a  purpose  to  cut  through 
the  enemy's  lines,  as  was  attributed  to  him,  by  com- 
mon rumor,  at  that  time. 

Surrender  was  inevitable,  but  General  Lee  had  be- 
fore determined  the  terms  must  be  such  as  he  felt 
were  due  to  his  army — that  the  soldiers  should  not 
be  sent  to  prison,  but  be  paroled  to  return  to  their 
homes ; — officers  with  their  side-arms,  and  men  and 
officers  with  their  personal  effects.  These  terms  or 
fight,  then  and  there,  to  death.  He  was  determined 
to  preserve,  untarnished,  the  honor  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia.  When  the  last  counsel-of-war 
was  over,  General  Lee  mounted  "  Traveler,"  saying 
to  General  Longstreet,  "  You  take  care  of  the  com- 
mand," and  rode  off  to  see  General  Grant.  General 
Longstreet  sent  General  Mahone  to  take  command 
of  the  rear  left  flank. 

Afterwards  General  Lee  was  seen  standing  alone 
in  the  direction  of  Appomattox  Court  House,  near 
the  celebrated  apple  tree,  with  his  staff  near  by,  and 
a  few  soldiers  in  the  vicinity  grouped  here  and  there. 
He  was  awaiting  a  messenger.  Soon  a  Federal  officer 
(General  Babcock),  accompanied  by  a  courier,  came 
galloping  from  the  enemy's  lines.  The  officer  dis- 
mounted within  fifty  yards  of  General  Lee,  then  ad- 
vanced on  foot,  and  when  within  fifty  feet  took  off 


APPOMATTOX  231 


his  hat  and  placed  it  under  his  arm.  Colonel  Walter 
H.  Taylor  advanced  and  bore  from  him  a  note  to 
General  Lee.  A  message  was  returned,  whereupon 
the  officer  returned  his  hat  to  his  head,  made  for  his 
horse,  remounted  and  rode  off  to  his  lines.  Shortly 
after  he  returned,  and  in  like  manner  approached 
General  Lee  and  delivered  to  Colonel  Taylor  another 
note.  Upon  reading  this  second  communication 
General  Lee,  with  great  deliberation,  tore  it  into 
many  pieces,  and  threw  them  upon  the  ground,  after- 
wards pressing  the  pieces  in  the  earth  with  his  foot. 
A  message  was  delivered  to  the  officer,  who,  in  like 
manner  as  before,  made  his  exit.  Soon  after  General 
Lee  mounted,  and,  with  Colonel  Marshall  and  a  cour- 
ier, rode  off  in  the  direction  the  officer  had  gone. 
It  was  then  that  the  two  opposing  commanders  first 
met,  after  which  they  retired  to  the  McLean  Man- 
sion, where  the  terms  of  capitulation  were  committed 
to  writing.  The  reverence  displayed  by  the  Federal 
officer  who  bore  the  messages  to  General  Lee  im- 
pressed all  with  the  high  sense  of  the  manly  propriety 
of  that  officer. 

When  General  Mahone  returned  from  the  confer- 
ence, many  of  you  will  remember  the  cheerfulness 
with  which  the  division  took  its  position,  and  the 
word  which  ran  along  its  line :  "  Well,  we  will  get  a 
chance  at  Sheridan  now,  and  supply  Mahone's  foot 
•cavalry  with  horses."  Mahone's  men  cherished  an 
earnest  desire  to  get  hold  of  little  Phil.  Sheridan ; 
they  had  driven  his  troops  handsomely  at  Amelia 
Court  House,  and  felt  that  they  would  now  finally 
wind  up  the  mad  career  of  his  troopers.  But  it  was 
not  long  before  the  spirit  which  had  never  failed  this 


232       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

noble  band  was  suddenly  seized  with  suspicions  of 
surrender.  A  cavalryman  had  galloped  across  the 
open  field  from  the  front  and  disclosed  the  startling 
news,  but  they  had  little  faith  in  his  tale.  They  were 
actively  engaged  in  building  the  breastworks  when 
the  order  was  passed  to  stop.  This  was  singularly 
contrary  to  the  precaution  that  had  always  governed. 
The  cavalryman's  story  was  true,  and  the  men's  hearts 
sank  in  grief,  and  they  wept  like  children  over  a 
mother's  grave.  They  knew  all  was  over,  and  these 
manifestations  of  sorrow  and  distress  sublimely  at- 
tested their  fidelity  to  the  Southern  cause.  If  there 
was  a  man  in  the  command  who  did  not  prefer  fight- 
ing to  surrender,  emotions  which  only  the  heart  can 
inspire  are  not  to  be  taken  as  reflecting  the  sincere 
sentiments  of  men.  Like  the  inhabitants  of  renowned 
Carthage,  many  of  them  would  have  preferred  death 
rather  than  survive  the  subjugation  of  their  country. 
Our  trusted  little  General's  heart  sank,  too,  and  he 
was  forced  to  turn  his  back  upon  the  scene.  To  the 
absolute  confidence  of  the  command  that  clasped  the 
affections  of  his  heart  with  hooks  of  steel  he  gave 
expression  by  saying :  "  I  dread  war,  and  do  not  de- 
sire it,  but  I  could  be  content  to  spend  the  longest 
life  allotted  to  man  with  these  soldiers." 

Four  years  of  intimate  association  in  camp  and 
field,  of  alternate  pleasure  and  pain,  of  hope  and 
despair,  had  woven,  in  warp  and  woof,  the  threads 
of  friendship  too  closely  to  be  rudely  torn  asunder, 
and  the  hour  of  separation  was  one  of  the  dark  spots 
in  life  that  leave  a  lasting  impress.  The  orphan  who 
has  lost  both  father  and  mother  by  one  fell  stroke 
of  the  destroyer  death  could  have  felt  no  greater 


APPOMATTOX  233 

sense  of  loneliness  and  dark  despair  than  the  soldier 
who  had  followed  the  starry  cross  with  the  heart  of 
a  patriot  and  a  singleness  of  purpose  approximating 
idolatry,  as  he  stood  by  his  last  campfire  without  a 
musket,  without  a  flag,  without  a  leader,  without  a 
country;  alas!  perchance,  without  a  home! 

On  that  last  march  we  had  hoped  to  join  our  for- 
tunes with  Johnston's  army  and  throw  all  in  the  scale 
of  one  grand  trial  at  arms  with  the  armies  of  Grant 
and  Sherman,  thinking  that  by  generous  emulation 
and  rivalry,  and  one  determined  effort,  with  Lee  and 
Johnston  clasping  hands,  we  might  crush  the  un- 
wieldy columns  of  the  invaders ;  but  Providence  or- 
dained that  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  should 
fall  by  the  wayside,  gradually  worn  out  by  attrition, 
and  thus  the  last  hope  of  the  Southern  soldier  fled 
forever. 

The  10th  of  April  was  spent  by  the  soldiers  dis- 
cussing, around  the  campfires,  their  gloomy  pros- 
pects, for  it  was  chilly  and  a  drizzling  rain  was  fall- 
ing; also  in  foraging  the  immediate  surroundings  for 
scant  food,  as  our  commissariat  had  been  long  ex- 
hausted, and  the  Federals  were  unable  to  supply  us. 
Hunger  was  gnawing  sharply  in  their  breasts,  and 
fortunate  indeed  was  the  owner  of  a  few  grains  of 
corn  or  a  small  piece  of  stale  bread.  After  all  the 
preliminaries  were  arranged,  and  General  Lee  had  is- 
sued his  farewell  order,  formal  surrender  was  made. 
We  had  often  seen  pictures,  in  our  schoolbooks,  of  the 
surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown,  but  never 
dreamed  that  we  should  realize  a  like  scene.  Craw- 
ford's Division  was  drawn  up  on  a  hill  just  in  front 
of  Appomattox  Court  House,  when  we  marched  up 


234      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

within  a  few  feet,  halted,  faced  them  and  stacked 
arms,  furling  the  proud  old  bullet-torn,  battle- 
smoked  flags  across  the  stacks.  It  was  truly  a  sad 
mission,  as  plainly  depicted  on  every  countenance 
in  our  ranks.  Some  of  the  Federals  looked  glum  and 
sullen,  and  now  and  then  we  could  hear  the  dissatis- 
fied mutterings  from  revengeful  hearts,  but  we  took 
no  heed  of  their  cowardly  insults,  and  counter- 
marched to  our  camp.  It  is  but  just  to  say  that  most 
of  our  captors  were  kind,  courteous,  considerate,  and 
charitable.  General  Grant's  conduct  was  admirable, 
and  his  gallant  demeanor  towards  his  fallen  foes  was 
by  them  awarded  the  highest  praise. 

When  General  Lee  took  his  departure  the  soldiers 
gathered  about  the  roadside,  and  as  he  passed 
through  the  broken  and  unarmed  ranks  every  head 
was  uncovered,  and  each  man  was  bidding  him  a  silent 
adieu,  with  bursting  heart  and  overflowing  eyes. 
Even  in  disaster  and  defeat  all  his  manly  character- 
istics stood  out  in  his  very  appearance,  and  he  seemed 
created  to  inspire  love,  respect,  and  enthusiasm.  His 
men  loved  him  with  a  deep  and  sacred  affection  that 
no  disaster  could  dampen,  no  defeat  destroy.  Not 
only  his  soldiers,  but  the  whole  South ;  and,  as  the 
London  Standard  has  said :  "  He  left  behind  him  no 
rival  of  her  love,  no  object  of  equal  pride  and  rever- 
ence. Nor  is  his  fame  'Confined  to  the  South.  Wher- 
ever the  English  tongue  is  spoken,  his  name  is  revered 
and  honored — a  name  which  history  furnishes  few 
equal  in  military  renown,  none  in  moral  grandeur; 
the  name  of  one  who  realized  in  actual  life  the  dreams 
of  ideal  chivalry ;  so  great  in  victory  that  none  ever 
surpassed,  so  much  greater  in  defeat  that  none  ever 


APPOMATTOX  235 


reproached  him ;  the  patriot  without  a  thought  of 
self,  the  hero  without  a  shade  of  affectation  or  dis- 
play; the  man  who  would  neither  despair  of  his 
country  nor  conspire  against  her  conquerors ;  ideal 
soldier  and  perfect  citizen,  a  Christian  without  pre- 
tensions, and  a  gentleman  without  flaw." 

After  receiving  their  paroles  the  men  formed  in 
groups  and  marched  in  the  direction  of  their  wasted 
homes,  relying  upon  kind-hearted  citizens  to  supply 
them  with  rations  on  their  desolate  journey — a  jour- 
ney as  dreary  as  a  fugitive,  through  dismal  avenues 
shrouded  in  the  backness  of  midnight  and  curtained 
on  either  side  with  the  somber  forms  of  full  foliaged 
shrubs  and  trees ;  all  surroundings  as  black  as  death, 
terrible  as  the  tornado,  awful  as  the  night  of  cruci- 
fixion ! 

In  company  with  a  few  friends  I  turned  my  horse's 
head  homeward.  Our  route  was  marked  by  ruined 
homesteads,  and  many  blackened  chimneys  stood, 
monuments  of  the  invaders'  malice.  I  passed  a  house 
standing  desolate  and  bleak,  the  surrounding  fences 
of  field  and  garden  having  been  recently  destroyed 
by  the  troops,  and  saw  a  Federal  commissary  driving 
a  cow  from  its  rear,  and  a  frail  mother,  with  her 
infant  children,  standing  on  the  front  steps  pleading 
with  him,  in  most  piteous  language,  to  spare  this 
last  and  only  resource  of  living;  but  the  inhuman 
wretch  sternly  refused,  and  left  them  to  starve.  The 
blood  ran  thick  and  fast  through  my  veins,  but  I 
was  an  unarmed  prisoner,  in  the  presence  of  thou- 
sands of  my  captors,  and  forced  to  witness,  in  silence, 
this  diabolical  deed.  Heaven  forefend  another  such 
scene ! 


236      THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 

Numberless  have  been  the  humiliations,  and  many 
the  trials  and  difficulties  of  life  since  the  sad  day  of 
surrender,  but,  while  struggling  through  all,  the  con- 
sciousness of  faithful  service  to  the  Confederate 
cause  has  been  our  pride  and  shield.  At  last  that 
remorseless  spirit  and  bitterness  of  heart  engendered 
by  war  is  giving  place  to  noble  charity — charity, 
like  the  dew  that  nourishes  the  oak  of  an  hundred 
years  as  the  plant  of  an  hour's  life,  that  glitters 
among  the  thorns  and  briars,  as  jeweling  the  lilies 
and  the  roses — and  we,  who  suffered  defeat  and  sur- 
vived the  downfall  of  our  country,  can  tell  of  devo- 
tion to  the  Southern  Cross,  even  under  the  folds  of 
the  Star-Spangled  Banner.  While  you  respect  and 
own  true  allegiance  to  the  Union  as  it  is,  what  Vir- 
ginian would  not  rather  leave,  as  an  heritage  for  his 
children,  the  record  of  duty  faithfully  performed  as 
a  private  soldier  of  the  South,  than  all  the  gold  that 
ever  glittered  in  California's  sands? 

The  private  soldier  of  the  Southern  army  was  ac- 
tuated by  the  most  unselfish  purpose  that  ever  led 
men  to  arms.  And,  Privates  of  the  old  Brigade, 
while  you  owe  much  to  the  skill  and  tact  of  your 
leaders  for  the  many  glories  of  your  arms,  you  shall 
wear  the  richest  crowns  and  the  brightest  jewels. 
Let  me  bear  witness,  that  no  one  has  accorded  them 
more  freely  and  frankly  than  he  under  whom  you 
first  learned  to  march — the  matchless  Mahone.  You 
are  highest  in  his  esteem,  and  to  you  his  gratitude 
is  as  unbounded  as  the  wealth  of  his  name  is  re- 
nowned among  the  martial  people  of  the  world,  as 
sacred  as  the  beads  and  cross  to  the  holy  Sisters  of 
Charity.  The  private  soldiers  were  the  first  to  learn 


APPOMATTOX  237 


his  virtues.  You  have  long  known  his  industry  in 
business,  his  fortitude  amid  danger,  his  energy  in  act- 
ing, his  rapidity  in  executing,  his  wisdom  in  foresee- 
ing; but  modesty  veiled  his  brilliant  genius  for  long 
years.  At  last,  however,  in  the  hour  of  despair  and 
gloom,  the  Confederate  authorities  were  forced  to 
discover  his  merit,  and  gave  him  an  insufficient  com- 
mand, sadly  deficient  in  numbers,  and  even  then  it 
burst  forth  in  all  its  fullness  and  glory.  The  world 
has  seen  his  perseverance  and  his  wisdom,  with  the 
valor  of  his  disciplined  troops,  pluck  victory  from 
the  most  extreme  difficulties,  and  it  knows  how  the 
sheen  of  his  sword  carried  success  everywhere : 
through  the  tangled  paths  of  the  Wilderness,  up  the 
flaming  steeps  of  Coal  Harbor,  over  the  smoking 
bosom  of  the  Crater,  even  to  the  threshold  of  sur- 
render, and  history  will  clothe  his  name  in  all  the 
grandeur  of  magnificent  purpose  and  brilliant  mar- 
tial glory. 

My  comrades,  in  conclusion  let  me  say  that  your 
historical  work  appeals  to  the  highest  and  purest 
sentiments  of  men — a  .duty  you  owe  to  Virginia, 
a  duty  to  the  conquered  South,  a  duty  to  the 
dead,  a  duty  urged  in  voiceless  eloquence  by  the  un- 
coffined  bones  of  our  brothers,  scattered  all  over  this 
grand  old  Commonwealth,  from  where  the  great  ocean 
billows  rush  in  eternal  succession  on  her  eastern 
sands  to  the  cloud-bathed  summit  of  her  mighty  hills. 

The  history  of  their  brilliant  harvest  of  glory  shall 
be  as  a  sa-cred  treasure  for  their  children  and  widows, 
and  a  holy  jewel  for  the  living  comrades,  and  they 
will  always  sing: 


238       THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH 


"  Yes,  give  me  a  land  where  the  ruins  are  spread, 
And  the  living  tread  light  on  the  hearts  of  the  dead; 
Yes,  give  me  a  land  that  is  blest  by  the  dust, 
And  bright  with  the  deeds  of  the  down-trodden  just! 
Yes,  give  me  the  land  that  hath  legends  and  lays, 
Enshrining  the  memories  of  long-vanished  days; 
Yes,  give  me  the  land  that  hath  story  and  song, 
To  tell  of  the  strife  of  the  Right  with  the  Wrong; 
Yes,  give  me  the  land  with  a  grave  in  each  spot, 
And  names  in  the  graves  that  shall  not  be  forgot! 
Yes,  give  me  the  land  of  the  wreck  and  the  tomb, 
There's  a  grandeur  in  graves — there's  a  glory  in  gloom ! 
For  out  of  the  gloom  future  brightness  is  born, 
As  after  the  night  looms  the  sunrise  of  morn ! 
And  the  graves  of  the  dead  with  the  grass  overgrown 
May  yet  form  the  footstool  of  liberty's  throne, 
And  each  single  wreck  in  the  war-path  of  Might, 
Shall  yet  be  a  rock  in  the  temple  of  Right." 


THE   END 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


NOV2o1952 

;c'D  LD-URt 


141970 

I'D  LD-UIJP 

LC  ")* 
EC  5    1974 


Form  L9 — 15m-10,'48(B1039)444 


TJNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNIA 

AT 

LOS  ANGELES 
LIBRARY 


J£SSSS!S3S"u*si  FAC-I-TY 
iniii  inn  HIII  i 


A    001402710    e 


